Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-15
SLIGHT HOPE
Of AVERT|NG
RAIL STRIKE
Concessions Offered by
Both Sides Under
! Consideration.
ROADS ASKED TO !
,CONCEDE SHORT DAY
Brotherhood Leaders Agree to Arb'-
trate Question Of Double Pay For
Overtime Provided Managers vii!
ceneeds Eisht-Hour Work Day
Neither Side Optimistic Over Success
.of Now Plan 70 adjust Differences.

that q proposal was under cOnSldeGa-
ton by which the railroads would ac-
cept the principle of an eight-hour day
and leave the working out Of its
application to the interstate commerce
commission or somebody formed for the
purpose.
While the managers were at the
White House the brotherhood leaders
conferred among themselves. The. gem
eral opinion among them was that the
president was putting the burden OF
averting a strike up to the roads.
Having agreed practically to the prin-
cipls Of arbitration the brotherhood
lea ers Inclined to the view that the
con sroversy could be settled by the
railroads granting the basic eight-hour
day and arbitrating the demands for
time and half for overtime, or by
eliminating the double compensation
feature.
Managers Yielding Something.
The attitude OF the managers is said
to be. one Of yielding something. Sec
retary Tumulty issued the following
statement:
.sThe president spent an hour and a
tives Of the railroad managements.
After the conference he said 1t was
impossible as yet to report on the re-
siflts. All that he could say was that
very candid and honest discussion
!. Of settlement"
whether this plan can be ,wosxed out
viii not be known until the president
presents 1t to the brotherhood leaders.
The railroads are understood to be
ready to concede the principle Of the
eight t-hour day providing concessions
are made by the employees.
The men take the stand that they
condition that it shall be enforced
whenever possible.
The railroads are said to believe it
impossible to accept the eight-hour
day unless a new working system can
be built up.
The managers took the position that
I, the eight hour day and the collateral
issues are inseparable and that it
would not be practicable to accept the
eight hour day and submit other ques-
tons to arbitration.
Men Nom Con,mittal.
Representatives Of the brotherhoods
insist that the proposition was not a
new one. None Of the brotherhood
officials would commit himself on
what the attitude OF the employees
would be toward such proposal but
they did not appear optimistic over
the likelihood Of it proving acceptable.
1t was pointed out however, that II
such proposition were rendered IN
concrete form they could not but refer
1t to the general board. composed of
500 committee chairmen. now In New
York.
May Tie Up Roads.
President Garretson Of the conduct
ors said:
yIf there Is a strike, the Transports
; ton Of mails possibly would be af-
fected. The government has con-
tract with the railroads and not with
the men It has nothing 1t can en-
force on u.s. and it is up to the rail-
8 roads to supply the men to carry the
mails.
Nor is there any reason to believe
that we will look with anything but
disfavor .on the men running these
mail trains. They will be non union
men and their acts will show that they
h are not in sympathy with our fight.
Perhaps the cry Of Industrial me-
cessity' will arise II we strike-but
such cry has been raised .y the in
terests' every time when they wanted
to protect their pockets at the expense
OF the people. In France, when the
government. by an unconstitutional
Z uaurpation Of power. called the striking
trainmen to the colors and then made
them man the railroads, It was the
cry Of industrial necessity which
caused such a blot to be put on the
name OF the nation"
Close Watch by Congress.
Congress Is watching the situation
4 with Intense apprehension. While II
Is believed by most members that the
situation is not hopeless and that the
president will be able to bring the men
and the roads to arbitrate or in some
way to settle their differences, it is
{ realized the outlook is grave.
The question being asked at the
capitol is, what can congress do II
there Is a strike?
Opinions differ widely whether con-
gress can do anything. President VIII
! son has already talked with Senator
Kern and Others at the capitol about it.
Plan No New Legislation,
So far as can. be learned, nothing
definite IN the way OF possible emer-
gency LEGISLATION has been outlined A
suggestion Tor compulsory arbitration
has been made, but this is thc.ght inn
probable.
Senator Cummins, an authority on
-aliroad matters. said he saw little
.bat congress could do.
Another prominent senator said that
sz