The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-08-31
CONGRESS TO ACT
TOPREVENT STRIKE
Senate and House Ready to Pass
an Eight-Hour Law.
MEN TO QUIT LABOR DAY
President Hopes to Prevent Execution
of Tieup Order Until Lawmakers
Have Time to Pass Measure
Effective Within 80 DAYS.

| Washington, Aug 29.-President
| Wilson'S plan for new legislation by
which the threatened railway strike
may be averted was adopted by the
senate steering committee.
Democratic leaders were given to I'M
derstand that the president expects to
| be able to prevent the execution of u
strike order pending the outcome of
his efforts.
| An eight-hbur day to be compul-
sorry on interstate railroads within 80
days after enactment, is the pivot
around which the new legislation will
be constructed.
Wilson to Address Congress.
President Wilson will appear be-
fore joint session of the senate and
house Wednesday and make known his
plans in special message.
Before the new program became gen
orally known, the brotherhood chiefs
announced that the date set for the
strike was the morning of September 4,
which is Labor day. A copy of the
strike order was transmitted to the
| White House with an explanation of
| the departure of number of the
brotherhood chairmen.
The railway executives issued the
| following statement:
In conference at the White House
between the president and the commit
tee of the railway presidents a sugges-
| ton was laid before the president in
the nature of II proposition for progress
for solution of the questions at issue.
| This was left with the president for his
| consideration.
| The committee expects to see the
president again in the near future, but
| before leaving the committee pointed
out that if the reports that The date
| for, declaring the strike has been fixed
| for September We're true it would
force an early conclusion of the neeo-
| tiations and compel the presidents 10
return to their properties to prepare
| for the issues
The railway presidents We're plainly
very much concerned as they left the
| White House
| Hear Wilson's Plan.
| Railway officials and union men APP
| peared equally peSSimiStic. Both admit
| ted strike seemed near, but the presi-
| dent according to White House re
| ports, still felt he would find a way out
of the difficulty.
| 1t is understood that President VIII
| H.; b,,
Il Legislative program which they be-
| leve will enable the president to pre-
vent any nationwide strike if it is
| necessary to enact it.
| While the nature of this program is
carefully guarded it was learned that
| it will be attached rs an amendment to
| the AdamSon bill, which already has
passed the house, adding two members
| to the Interstate commerce commission.
| The presidents new basis of settle
| ment, as discussed in the various con-
| ference was declared to be as fol-
| lows:
| An eighthour law for railroads, to
| become effective at a date far enough
| in the future to give the railroads op-
| pOrtunlty TO prepare LOT IL.
A law patterned after the Canadian
act which creates Il commission of in
vestigation and prevents lockouts or
strikes while an industrial dispute is
being Investigated.
| Meanwhile, congressional leaders
gave up hope of adjournment this week
and settled down to stay here as long
as necessary to provide legislation to
meet the strike situation.
While the president withholds de-
tails, it was learned officially that
what he now wants is that both sides
agree to submit all questions in dis
pute to the Newlands commission, the
railroads, however, first accepting the
basic principle of the eight-hour day
in mt least an amended form. Then
the president intends asking congress
specifically to authorize the Newlands
commission TO act in the case.
mo Eght-Hour Arbitration
w. G.. Lee, grand chief of the
brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, is
sued the following statement:
| IL SttlllS tNluNul lIoll ll'HH ~
ports that the railway companies rep
resented here are determined to force
A strike rather than accept the com
promise settlement offered by Presi-
dent Wilson.
THE labor organization refuse posi-
lively to arbitrate the question of an
eight-hour work day simply because
we now have an eight-hour day in
effect on many of the southern and
southwestern roads and do not pro-
pose to arbitrate whether we shall re
tain something that we have had for
years and that we secured peacefully.
THE railways former claim that
out request would cost SlO0,000,oO0
has been split tifty-tifty, and we are
reminded Of the statement that fig
ures won't lie, but liars will figure
The railways know full well that the
eight-hour day as offered by Presi-
dent Wilson would not cost $4,000
600 per annum If properly applied.
I'VE are still the guests Of Presi-
dent Wilson and will remain here"