Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-15
Republican Nominations:
FOR PRESIDENT:
CHARLES EVANS HUGHES
VICE PRESIDENT:
CHARLES ". FAIRBANKS
Mr.. Wilson's Frame.Up2

Mr.. Wilson's Frame.Up?
A few days ago we published ar ar
dele from the Boston News Bureau
concerning a reported frame-up be-
tween the trainmen's brotherhood
leaders and President Wilson or some
one acting for him. The matter has
gone much farther than that and. can
the claim be substantiated, should
eliminate Mr.. Wilson's name from
consideration by the American people.
We are not ready to swallow the yarn.
We know that Mr.. Wilson has made
many mistakes and has reversed him
self frequently, but we are not ready
to believe that he has been guilty Of
such double dealing as indicated by
some Of the reports.
Under the caption was it Politi-
cal Frame-Up?" the Railway Age Ga
zette comments on the growing con-
viction that an understanding was
reached some five months ago between
President Wilson and the trainmen's
brotherhoods to the effect that in the
final stages Of the wage controversy
the President would see that the decis-
ion was swung to the labor chiefs, and
that the so-called eight hour bill was
the result of this agreement.
Courts have held, 1t is pointed out,
that circumstantial evidence may
sometimes be more conclusive than
direct evidence, because the witnesses
who give direct testimony may lie,
while circumstances do not.
The controversy between the rail-
roads and the labor brotherhoods was
acute a half year ago. When the
brotherhoods announced that they
were going to demand "basic eight
hour day." they began by saying they
would not arbitrate. But the Adminis-
tration was apathetic.
The Chamber Of Commerce of the
United States then submitted to it's
members resolution asking the Pres
ident and Congress to cause an in
vestigation of the entire wage stu
alton by the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Meantime, on April 9, meetings of
the members Of the labor brotherhoods
were held at st. Louis in which ad-
dresses were made by Grand Chief w.
8. Stone Of the Locomotive Engineers
and w. g. Lee. president Of the Broth
erhood Of Railroad trainmen. At one
Of these meetings both Lee and Stone
made the statement:
that they were absolutely confident
OF winning out, but that they were go
ing to DO certain thing which only
the presidents of the four brother
hoods knew about, one that they did
not propose to tell any one what this
was. but that it would be the deciding
factor IN winning out in this fight"
Later the vote OF the Chamber Of
Commerce was reported. being almost
unanimous in favor Of an investigation
by the Commerce Commission. Pres
1dent Wilson chose to ignore this vote.
1t was presented to Congress, and on
July IL Chairman Adamson of the
House committee on commerce ex-
planned there that he was opposed to
the Chamber of Commerce resolution
because he and Mr.. Mann, the repub-
lican leader. had investigated to see
whether there would be any strike"
Il will not say where we went" he adj
ded, but we were assured by the rep
resentatives Of the employees that there
would be no walk-outP Mr.. Mann
promptly denied that he had talked
with representatives Of the employees.
On Aug. the brotherhoods were adj
dressed at meeting in New York by
Dudley Field Malone, who had been
a personal representative of President
Wilson. Mr.. Malone advocated the
eight-hour day demand of the brother
hoods.
Tho next day. Aug. 7, a man in
Washington. usually we'll informed re-
garding what is going on behind the
scenes in that city, wrote a prominent
business man in New York in part as
follows:
II believe there is an understanding
between Gompers. head Of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor. and the
Administration. Gompers has assured
the President that an opportunity will
be given him to make capital out Of
the difficulty. The men are to reject
all compromise offers by the rail-
roads"
President Wilson invited both sides
to come to the White House, but on
Aug. II. before doing this. wrote let
ter to the president Of the Boston
Chamber Of Commerce opposing the
submission Of the eight-hour demands
to the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion.
On Aug. "a the Atlanta 'Constitu-
ton" said regarding a conversation be-
tween its Washington correspondent
and Mr.. Adamson, which occurred Aug.