Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-08-16
ROADS AGREE TO 4
E|GHT.H0UR DAY
Strike Deadlock Continues at
Washington.
UNIONS CONFER ON OFFER
oottlemsnt Of the Issues by Direct
Compromise in Conference win
b the President Now Held More
Likely.
N...s~xp~-.,.s-l.
ESNFl - -


az conferences between President Will
sOn, the railroad managers and the
brotherhood leaders brought no settle
ment Of the situation, which threatens
q countrywide strike, but paved the
way for further conferences.
No form Of arbitration now is under
consideration, members Of the EN-,
ployees' committee declared. Instead
It Is possible an agreement will be
reached directly on one of the several
compromise proposals under consider
alton.
President Wilson gave out the fol-
lowing statement after his conference
with the employees:
'There is no change; there is an
earnest effort being made to work out
. settlement"
After the managers had seen the
president the situation was described
by those In touch with 1T as very pre-
carious.
The men went into their conference
with the president at three o'clock In
the afternoon feeling rather gloomy.
When they left him. nearly two hours
later, with the prospect Of meeting
him again, the leaders were more hope
full. It even was said there was pos
sibility of a direct settlement between
the two sides without resort to arbitra-
don.
Members Of the employees commit
tee said consideration had been given
In their conference with the president
; to the suggestion that the principle of
an eight-hour day be accepted and col
literal issues investigated by COM
mission.
Workers Meet on ProposaI. y
It was indicated that this and other
proposals would be discussed at a
meeting Of the labor leaders and would
be referred to other representatives of
the employees now In New York.
President Wilson in his talk with the
employees made the strongest plea for
u settlement which he has yet pre-
sented. He delivered brief speech,
dwelling with pointed emphasis on the
disastrous effect Of strike and appeal
ing to the patriotism of the men to
make some concessions which would
make settlement possible.
It was declared after the conference
that neither side had given in SO far
on any material point and that the
crisis probably would be reached late
today. ~ se4.y... Il
The fact that there would be no
arbitration was emphasized by the en-
ployees' leaders, who indicated that q
compromise agreement was much more
likely. Administration officials appar-
4 emily were not as hopeful, but took the
position that there still was some
prospect of settlement.
"Nothing Done or Undone."
'sNothing is done and nothing is un.
done. We will see the president again, y
said A. B. GarretsOn, spokesman for
the employees, as the mems repre-.
/ sentatives left their conference with
/ President Wilson.
\ AS the heads Of the railroad brother.
hoods assembled at the White House
there were expressions Of doubt
among officials close to the situation
over whether the men would accept
the proposal of the railroads made to
the president earlier in the day. p .
In effect the railroads proposed, 1t
was understood, to grant the basic
eight-hour day and leave the question
of its application to be decided by
some commission.
The heads Of the brotherhoods said
before going to the presidents confer
ence that they themselves could not
pass upon such proposition, but
would have to refer it back to the
general committee Of union heads III
NoU YORK; ..g.x..~,-.. 49,.