The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1916-09-01
STRIKE ISSUE ISN
BEFORE CONGRESS-
Wilson Appeals 70 SOIols to
Avert Break.
BOTH SIDES STAND FIRM
nresldsnt Reeounts Attempt to Settle
Controversy and Gives Position Of
Both sides-strike 10 Positively
Called For Labor Day.

Controversy and Gives Position OF
Both sides-strike 10 Positively
Called For Labor Day.
Washington. Aug. 30.-In his OF.
forts TO prevent nationwide strike.
President Wilson has appealed to
congress for legislation TO meet the
crisis. With the railway presidents
refusing to nccede to the peace pro
posais OF the president. and the rail-
road brotherhoods refusing 10 accept
the demands OF the railroad execu.
lives, congress now presents the only
hope OF preventing the railroad strike
President Wilson went before a
Joint session OF congress and laid the
dtuation before the members OF ths
house and senate. The president told
them Of his efforts TO bring the rail
road managers and men into some
sort OF an agreement. and, saying that
he had been powerlesa 10 do so, ap-
pealed 20 congress TO enact certain
specific legislation to deal with the sit
uAtion now and In the future.
Pointing out the distress and hard
Ahips which nationwide strike
would bring upon the country the
president asked oongress to empower
him to draft into the service OF the
United States the very managers and
men who have been unable TO adjust
their differences SO that the govern.
ment may operate the railroads IN
case OF military necessity.
He proposed that congress, FIRST.
snlarge the membership OF the inter
state commerce commission TO equip
II 10 deal with larger situations: sec.
ond. that an eigh.hour day be eatab-
lished. for all trainmen in Interstate
commerce. third. that commission
investigating the effect OF the eight.
hour day. but without recommends
ton. that the public may learn from q
disinterested source OF the merits OF
the question. fourth. that the inter
state commerce commission consider
the increased cost OF the eighthour
day IN making rates: and NTH. amend
the mediation law 20 prevent strikes
OF iockouiH while industrial disputes
arc being investigated The sixth
proposal was that the president be
empowered 10 operate the railways In
case OF military necessity. How these
recommendation are 10 be carried
out President Wilson left entirely in
the hands OF congress.
Strike Certain.
Just before the president went 70
address congress II became known
that the strike leaders had positively
called the strike for Labor day unless
a favorable settlement was reached
before and that the negotiations be-
tween the managers and men had been
broken on.
The committee OF railway presi.
dents made a public statement Of
their poSluon. declining TO accept
President Wilson'S plan and giving
their reasons.
The president presented ell the de-
tails OF the two weeks OF negotiation
to congress, reeounting how he had
laid before both sides q picture OF tho
diatreHs into which strike would
plunge the nation. and how he had as
sured the railway managers that the
public would see that justice was dom
them. They have thought II best
said he. referring to the railway man
aEeys, that they should be forced to
Yield. II they must yield. not by coun.
eel. but by suffering OF the country
while my conferences with them
were in progress. the president con-
,inued. "and when. TO all outward ap.
pearance these conferences had come
10 a standstill. the representatives OF
the brotherhohods suddenly acted and
set the strike for the fourth OF Sep
tefmber."
Thus the president summarized his
efforts. and added
"But | could only propose ] could
not govern the will Of others. who took
nm entirely different view OF the cir.
cumstances OF the case, who even re-
fused to admit the circumstances to
he what they have turned out to be"
lie then followed with his recon,
mendations for legislation Repre-
sentatives OF the railway managers
and OF the brotherhoods sat in re.
served seats in the galleries and heard
the president make his address