The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-09-01
STACK|,5 Up MEASURE
MEETING OF SITUATION
Hope For the Wiping Away Of
All Party Feeling
WORK FOR COMMON GOOD
Object Sought Now Is to Head
Off the Great Industrial
Calamity

IN Mankato alone general
railroad strike, such as is con-
templated, would throw sixty
seven railroad wage earners out
of employment, to say nothing of
other business that would have
to shut down, throwing people
out of work. On the four rail-
road lines that reach Mankato,
there are sixteen engineers,
nineteen conductors, twenty one
brakemen and eleven firemen,
who make their homes in Man.
kato.
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.l
Washington, Aug. 30.-A feel
ing of uneasiness is apparent on
all sides today as the eleventh
hour efforts to prevent a nation
wide railroad strike went forward
with greatest haste, meantime,
the entire country has rushed
plans for meeting the conditions
brought about by the great
strike.
President Wilson is making ef-
forts to induce the brotherhoods
to postpone the strike effective
September q. There are indica-
tons that President Wilson might
publicly request the railway
workers that the strike order be
rescinded. The brotherhood Of
ficiaIs are securing copies of the
proposed bills and conferred at
the department of labor with Sec.
rotary Wilson. After the confer.
ence they insisted that only
satisfactory settlement could
end the controversy.
The senate interstate com.
merce committee adopted a reso-
luton providing for hearings -on
the proposed railroad legislation
in the impending crisis. Begin
ming tomorrow, railroad officials,
brotherhood officers and repre-
sentatives of the shippers are in
vited to appear.
Washington, August 30.-"God
forgive you; ! cannot" are al
legged to have been the parting
words of President Wilson, after
final conference with the rail-
road executives today.
UNITED Press DispatchJ
Washington, August 30.-Congres
today took up the herculean task {
preventing what would be the mos
disastrous strike in the history {
American industry. The genera
feeling in the senate interstate com
merce commission committee. wher
the principal activity is at preser
going on in this matter, appeared t
be optimistic. Democrats and re
publicans feel that now is the tim
to forget party differences and wor
all together for the speedy enact
ment of some measure that will pre-
vent the threatened paralyzin
strike.
Plan to Meet Situation.
The general plan is to draft sue
a measure as will meet the situa
ton at once, without trying to soly
the minor problems, about whic
there might be much r1inous debat
to delay the measure. 1t is intende
to frame up such measure as ma
fill the needs of the country at til
present time, and rush it through, g
far as possible, without debate. Wit
this end in view, such senators {
are considered liable to stir up SON
sort of opposition and cause SON
delay are being consulted on certai
points. 1t is hoped to get a meas
ure ready very soon and rush
through. The following are the maj
points on which all seem to I
agreed:
Eight Hour Law.
First, there should be COM
pulsory eight hour law in all
branches of the railroad serv-
ice.
Second. committee should be
appointed to work out details
of the eight hour law. This COM
mittee could report at some later
time on such provisions as 1t
might see fit to recommend.
Third, the mediation and con-
Citation law should be so
amended as positively to forbid
any strike or lockout. before the
federal authorities have had any
opportunity to look into the mer-
it's of the controversy, and work
out some plan of settlement.
Power Of the President.
Fourth, the president Of the
United States should be given
authority to draft railroad en-
ployes to run trains for the mill
tary needs of the government.
The matters of the proposed el
largement of the interstate cor
merce commission and the propos
increase in the freight rates are
be barred for the present, becau
there might be debate and delay o
er such measures.
Washington, August 30.-"No po'
er under heaven can prevent the gre
railroad strike" This statement
alleged to have been made tod
by w. G. Lee, head of the Brothe
hood of Trainmen, In a conversati
with William B. Wilson, secretary
labor.