The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-08-04
Every Agency At Disposal Of Fed
eraI Government Being Used
To Prevent Tieup Of Transport
alton Lines BY Brotherhoods
SITUATION IS ACUTE
AND CONGRESS AWAKES
President Gets In Touch With Sit
uation To intervene Should
100000 Men Walk Out and
Paralyze Traffic Over Roads
tASsOciatod Press by Federal wireless,

tAssOciated Press by Federal wirelsss)
wv ASHlNGTO August Every
w agency at the disposal of the
" United States government is
being used 10 avert the Threatened
strike Of 100000 railroad employees.
The good Offices Of the President have
been called into the battle for peace
in the transportation world. The sen.
ate Is working harmoniously and hard
on the question, and il is regarded
here as likely that today the senate
commerce committee will take up the
consideration OF the resolution intro
dueed by Senator Newlands of Nevada
providing for thorough investigation
or the hours and amount of labor per-
formed by the railroad men, by the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
d. William Chambers, commissioner of
the federal board Of mediation and
eoncihatton, conferred with the Presi,
dent at the White House yesterday in
epnneetieU with the situation. 3
The Rrasident ~ eager for all iBfor,,
niatfon bossGls, /, ~ or,lefs 10 be in "a 10.
sitiOn TO intervene IL the strike seems
inevitable. The vote Of the railroad
men to dnte appears TO favor a walk
out. The results Of the national vote
which is taken by mail, are expected
to be known August s.
Government May Seize Railroads
Immediate seizure Of very railroad in
the United States by the federal gov,
ernment, with government ownership
rs certain result, Is predicted by J.
j. Keogan, commissioner of the United
States department Of labor, should tho.
threatened strike of the four great rail
road bTotherhoods become a reality.
Keegan would not say that plans
already adrbeen formulated for such
governmental action, but he did declare
that, according to his information and
belief, the step would be inevitable.
He referred to the resolution intro.
duced in congress by Senator New
lands authorizing the appointment Of
commission TO study the general ques.
tion of government ownership and op
Grafton of railroads.
Expects Big Majority For Strike
Keegan pointed out that the Inter
state Commerce Commission for three
years has been appraisiug the valua
tiOn of the railroads of the United
States, and declared the federal gov.
eminent. us u result, was better pre-
responsibility of ownership.
From the best information ! have" !"
declared the labor department com
missioner. "I am confident that the
great rank and file Of the four broth
erhoods will vote for n strike. an
led to believe that more than ninety
nine per cent of the members of the
four great organizations will vote foI
'walkOut. ~. j..
Thinks Compromise Will Be Made
~ do not believe, however, that g
strike is probable. I cannot reconcile
such development under existing con
ditiOns. ] cannot conceive that eithel
railroad manafl ment or brotherhood
officials win permit the break TO come
A eompromise seems more probable.
"But, il the break should come, ani
100000 trainmen are called out, par
alyzing the transportation facilities OF
the country and even threatening Am
erican people with starvation, the fed
eral government would act, and ac'
within twenty-four hours. 1t could DE-
nothing else. Every railroad in thi
country would be seized, and once thes'
roads pass into the control of the
United States they would never agar
be returned TO private ownership
The commissioner was asked how
the government would find il possible
TO operate the roads, once the nearly
half-million employees had gone OF
strike. -t.'. p. .-.
Men Would Get Eight hour Day
"They would 60 10 work the next
morning if the government assumed
control" replied the commissioner
"The men know that they would be
treated honestly and fairly by the Unit
ed States. Such seizure would at once
remove the bone of contention which
is responsible for the present threaten
ed strike--the eight-hour day. Tho
United States government long agc
recognized the eight.hour-day move
ment, and the demands of the men
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