Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-08-20

Refuse Acceptance for Present.
Refusing acceptance fof the present,
but not giving final answer. Hale
Holden, president of the Burlington
railroad and spokesman for the 80
railroad officials. urged the president
to uphold the principle Of arbitration
and declared his plans would place
in peril all that has been accomplish.
ed in the peaceful adjustment Of labor
controversies by arbitration meth.
Ods."
At the close Of the conference
President Wilson summoned to Wash.
inEton additional railrpad. 1restdsnts
from the west and the presidents tod
him they would confer and return
home mex: week. lE the meantime
s;th the representatives OF the rSil.
roads and employees will remain here.
Situation Grave. 4
The situation tonight was describ.
ed as mot hopeless, but grave" 4.
Discussion of counter proposals ana
compromises was current and serious
consideration was given to the gov.
ernment operation OF the railroads In
case Of a strike.
AS result of the days conference
it was said on good authority that
many Of the railroad presidents look.
ed on the possibility of strike a.
more remote than any time since they
came to Washington. Over the week.
end, it was anticipated, the railroad
officials will get into communication
with the controlling financial inter.
ests.
Believes Eight Hour System o. K.
While President Wilson was ad.
dressing the railroad executives, tell.
ing them they face a condition. not
a principle" his statement to tho
country reviewing his plan ald char.
acterizing. it as thoroughly practi.
cal and fair program" was given out
at the White House. In the state.
ment, he urged the adoption Of the
eight-hour day because he believes
the concession right, suggested the
creation by congress of q small body
of men to investigate the results and
urged the abandonment Of the de.
mands for time and q half overtime
pay by the men and the "contingent''
proposals by the railroads.
Insist on Arbitration.
Mr.. Holden insisted upon arbitrae
tion in his reply to the president. He
argued that the eight-hour day 10 i'm
practicable in railroading and said
the railroads are willing for tho In.
terstate Commerce commission, or
any other disinterested body, to arbi.
trate the whole question.
Agreement Expected.
The railroad officials found two
points in President Wilson's public
statements Of his settlement plan
that confronted them and lead to q
belief that eventually there will be
an agreement averting Z strike. The
first was hint that, If the facts war.
ranted, the Interstate Commerce com.
mission might grant an increase In
freight rates, and the second was q
suggestion that the eight-hour Aaso
would be acceptable only tentatively
and might be terminated after invsoti.
cation by the commission provided
under the presidents plan.
1t was after prolonged meeting q
their hotel that the railroad proai.
dents went to the White House shoft.
ly before noon today. At the cane
time the general committee of en-
ployes held meeting, but only mark.
ed time, awaiting the decistoo Of H.
omcials.
President Wilson welcomed the
railroad oncials and, aftsr Oscar
Holden had stated their Dositiou. b.
gan q dramatic appeal wAicA IN III
visitors sober and thoashtful AZ
times, striding up Of down n ft0aA
Of the small group anA GnpAaSaiine
telling points BY shaking NJ ArUts.
the president told the ratlfool egecn.
{ Continued on Pa0o 96f0sS