Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-19
CHANCES AGAINST
| PRESIDENTS PLAN
BEING ACCEPTED
Railroad Presidents Not In
clined to Grant Eight
Hour Day.
ANOTHER CONFERENCE
AT WHITE HOUSE TO-DAY
Principle of Arbitration in Indus
trial Disputes Declared to
Be at Stake.
EMPLOYEES VOTE TO ACCEPT
Result Delivered Personally to VIII
son by Chiefs Of Four
Brotherhoods.
ANOTHER CONFERENCE
AT WHITE HOUSE TO-DAY
EMPLOYEES VOTE TO ACCEPT
Result Delivered Personally to VIII
son by Chiefs Of -Four
Brotherhoods.

dent Wilson'S plan for settlement Of
the threatened nation wide railroad
strike was accepted TO-DAY by the rep
resentatives OF the employees and
taken under consideration By the Of
hclais o! the road with many indica-
tons that they would reject II to-nlor-
row The word came from the man
ayers tonight. however. that they had
reached no definite decision.
With the situation thus apparently
at deadlock. the only hope in the
situation lay IN reports that ,he rail-
road officials might suggest a counter
proposal forming the basis of a set
uement, or that one side or the other
might recede from its present position.
Thirty-one presidents and ranking
ofHc!als OF the great railroads received
from tho President this afternoon his
plan for tho adoption Of an eight
hour day. regular pro-rata pay for
overtime. and creation of Federal
commission 70 Investigate collateral is
sues. They told him they would like
to consider tn" question. and would
report back tomorrow with tho COM
conducting negotiations
EMPLOYEES APPROVE
PRESIDENTS PLAN
A. the same time the general com
mttee Of $50 representatives. OF the
employees We're approving tho prcsi-
dents plan by large majority. and
soon after the railroad officials lief,
tho White House the four heads o,
the President a letter notifying him
Of tho vote
The employees committee viii re-
main here at the Presidents call
While the railroad officials would
make no formal statement. ,h.v re
realed clearly their opposition 10 Mr.
Wilson'S plan, and Indicated that ,hey
would press further their offer TO arbi-
trate all the points u, issue
In spite az all thes" d"volopments
II was reported the officials might sur-
rest counierproposal based on the
acceptance Of the eirh,-hour day and
arbitration Of all other points. instead
OF the investigation by a Federal com
mission proposed under tho Presidents
plan. II was stated positively. how.
ever. that the officials had reached no
definite decision ON their future course
e.
OF settlement during his conference
with the railroad officials tomorrow
he probably will summon to Washing
ton some OF the powerful fnanciers Of
the country serving as directors Of the
railroads.
HOPE OF SETTLEMENT
NOT YET GIVEN UP
Administration officials said tonight
he had by no means given up hone
OF efectinr a settlement, and was de-
termined that IL shall he reached. II
possible. by the representatives Of both
sides now here before they leave Wash
ington.
In their formal statements the rail
road officials insisted on arbitratio on
the ground that il they gave in this
time II would mean the abandonment
OF the principle OF arbitration. and he :
cause they feared II they granted the
3eight-ho day with its consequent
added expenses without resort to arbi :
tration II would prejudice any appeal
they might make later To the Inter
= state Commerce Commission for higher
freight rates.
On the surface tho threatened strike ke
appeared nearer to-day than at any time
since the negotiations at the White
House began. but administration Of
fcials continued to believe that event
ually there would be an agreement.
Having accepted the Presidents plan
Of settlement, the committee Of en-
ployees awaited developments.
The railroad presidents and officials
conferred with the President less than
an hour. After Mr.. Wilson had ex-
planned his plan. Hale Holden, presi-
dent OF the Chicago. Burlington and
Quincy. acting spokesman. informed
the President that the officials present
could speak only for their individual
roads. and that the conference com
mittee of managers was the only body
posals.
BELIEVE PROPOSAL
IS IMPRACTICABLE,
1t was indicated plainly to Mr.. VIII
son that the officials were inclined to
stand behind the previous attitude Of
the managers committee in refusing 10
accept the eight hour day. and that they
believed the proposal to he impract tica :
BILE. The President was told. however
that the plan would he given further
con nsideratio and a report made to
him tomorrow.
Mr., Wilson explained to the rail
road officials that he had drawn UP
the plan because he thought 1t fair
and because he believed way must
be found for averting a strike. He
urged them to demonstrate n spirit OF
concession and to assist him in settling
the controversy. Tonight the railroad
bff1cials held another long conference
at their hotel.
Employees representatives held two