The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-08-31
BETWEEN RAILROADS
AND EMPLOYEES BELIEVED IN
EVlTAsLE-lAWS DISCUSS
ED WITH LEADER.
BROTHERHOOD MEN, TIRED
OF WAIT, LEAVE CAPITAL
Employees Delegate Their Powers to
Committee of Twenty-four Instruct
ed Not to Agree to Arbitration
of Demand for Eight
Hour Day.

Washington, Aug. 20. Tentative
plans for a joint session of the Sen
ate and House to hear President Will
son ask for legislation to prevent the
threatened nationwide railroad strike
were discussed by the President with
Senator Kern, the Democratic leader.
when it seemed virtually certain that
a break between the railroads and
their employees must follow final con-
ferences at the White House today.
Possibilities Of legislation were
talked over by the President with
Senator Newlands, chairman of the
Interstate Commerce committee, and
Secretary Lane. During the day the
President made a quiet trip to the
Senate office building to find Senator
Kern attending a meeting of the f.
n committee.
No Agreement Expected.
Since Saturday night the belief that
negotiations between the railroad
executives and representatives of the
men would end without an agreement
has been growing.
n feeling was strengthened when
the members of the brotherhood COM
mittee Of $40, tired of their long wait
departed for home after d~elegating
their powers to effect a settlement or
call a strike to a committee of "a, in
structed under no circumstances to
agree to arbitration of the demand for
an eight-hour day at the present rate
Of pay for 10 hours.
Wilson May Go Before CONGRESS.
Whether the plans considered by
President Wilson and his advisers at
the capital will be carried out de-
ponds upom developments, but it is
understood that if all efforts fail to
bring the employers and their men to-
gether the President will go before
Congress and ask that it deal with the
situation even if that necessitates in
definitely ~prolonging the present ses-
sion.
Unless the railroad heads recede
from their demand for arbitration of
the eight-hour day proposal, one
brotherhood head said a strike affect
ing about 400, 900 men will be called
within the next ten days.
Executives Demand Arbitration.
Representatives of both the rail-
ways and the bro%therhoods will confer
with the President today. The exec
utives of the lines will present the
plan to which they agreed finally Sat-
urday. It's outstanding feature is a
demand for arbitration of wages under
the eight-hour day or any day.
When they have departed, the broth
erhood heads acting under instructions
received from the committee of GAO
will go to the White House and an.
prise President Wilson that they can.
not accept arbitration of this feature
Of their demands and that in general
they stand on his proposal made a
week ago to concede the eight-hour
principle and arbitrate the other Is.
sues.
Legislation to Prevent Strike.
What will follow no one attempts
to forecast accurately. There was a
report, however, that the President
might ask the men to postpone action
for a period in order that he might
seek legislation which would force and
provide for a settlement without ty-
ing up the country's transportation
system.
Secretary Lane and Senator New
lands worked until late in the night
framing bills for presentation to Con-
gress.
The measure given most serious
consideration was one drawn along
the lines of the Canadian act, which
provides for investigation Of Industrial
disputes by a commission for one year
and prevents strikes and lockouts dur
ing the period Of investigation. II
1t is finally decided to press such a
measure, an effort will be made to put
1t into effect at once.