Evening star., 1916-08-14
C0NFERS AT WHITE HOUSE
WITH MEN AND OPERATORS
Employees and Government officials
Hopeful National Calamity
Will Be Averted.
SITUATION MORE ENCOURAGING
Chief Magistrate Understood to Be
Determined That Railway Cars
Will Move to Garry Mails
and Food.

President Wilson, in person, will
act as arbitrator to prevent the
strike that threatens to tie up
completely all railroads of the
United States, and which is of
international import, as it would
prevent shipment. of munitions
to the warning nations of Eu-
rope, if this is necessary as last
resort.
This was learned from an
authoritative source at the very
hour that the President was in
conference with a delegation of
twenty-eight brotherhood lead
ers representing the 100000 rail-
road employees who have voted
to strike. While that confer
ence was in progress delega-
ton of nineteen officials repre-
senting the rs railway systems
comprising 100 railroads were
awaiting their turn : to present
their side of the controversy
direct to the President at 5
o'clock this afternoon.
W Outlook Is Hopeful.
One Of the leaders of the four brother.
hoods. after leaving the White House.
characterized the conference with the
clared "the outlook for the prevention Of
a general strike was hopeful"
A. B. Garretson. president of the Order
of Railroad Conductors. was asked wheth-
er the negotiations were'ofr. He replied:
Absolutely not"
While no ground for the feeling was
given administration officials expressed
confidence that the Presidents interven-
tion would result in averting strike.
The President. IT was said, submitted no
counter proposition to the men, but he
held out hope for an adjustment by legis-
lation, If necessary.
The impression pTeNdlleu dHOHs INC
brotherhood leaders that as a last resort
the President might ask Congress for
eight-hour-day legislation.
The leaders explained to the President
their stand against arbitration by saying
that they were carrying out the wishes OF
the 900 delegates who sat with them at
their meeting with the federal mediators
The delegates, the President was told, IN
voting on whether they should accept or
reject fhe mediators' proposal to arbitrate,
opiv for q
The brotherhood leaders presented to
the President detailed reports of the vote
cast in favor of general strike.
The two delegations came to Wash
ington on a midnight train, Immediately
upon receiving an invitation from Presi-
dent Wilson to visit him. when the Pres
ident had been informed by. the United
States board Of mediation and conciliation
that there was no other hope of averting
a nation wide strike. which would para
I'VE all the business OF the country. This
invitation was sent to New York by the
President, his own private secretary. Jo-
seph P. Tumulty, bearing II as an evil
dence Of the intense interest of the Pres
ident in this crisis.
Arrangements for the two delega-
tions to visit the White House at diff
sioner William L. Chambers of the fed
eral board of mediation and concilia-
tion. The brotherhood officials were
heard first, the proposals for an
eight-hOur DAY ana tlme-anQ-d-ndIL
overtime originated with them.
The President is holding long confer
ences with both these delegations to-
day. He had previously conferred for
nearly an hour with Judge Chambers.
chairman of the board of mediation and
and received from him a
complete record of all that has been
done so far in the effort to avert the
strike.
Willing to Act as Arbitrator. :
The President is willing to act as ar<
bitrator in this crisis. The railroad off,
cials have already proposed. through
the federal board of mediation and con-
Citation, to accept almost any form OF
From the conference of
leaders today it leaked out
that the employees were prepared to tell
the President they will accept arbitra-
ton only II he will be the arbitrator.
The President is today acting as vol
untary mediator-in the interests of the