The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-08-22
WILSON PLEADS
Continued from First PaSe.)

Continued from First PaSe)
ready o.call strike should the ncSo-
tiatiOnS fail.
Althouch a few Of the railroad ex-
cCurivos invited had not arrived tins
4 afternoon, il was decided that those
already in Washington were rrpreSen'
iaiivo and therefore III" President
called them 10 the White House and
earnestly urged that his plan Of sci
Element b. ratified.
Il will not allow passion 10 come IN.
- my THOUGHTS in this solemn matter
no said. I'VE are both acting as truS-
inn nj great interests. Am Wiling 10
allow This matter n 80 10 the Am"r!'
can jury and lot them assume the re-
sponsibliiy. Th" responsibility OF tail
ure will NOT rest with me.
Consider Consequences
II wish ynu 10 consider IN" CnnS"-
Guenccs as affecting the people Of The
cities and cOuntrySidrS nf a failure 10
agree. The country cannot live II me
means Of keeping alive its vitality are
intcrfcrred with. The lives and tor,
tunes nj 100 nn0,n00 men. women ana
little nncs-mHny Of whom may die
depend upon what may be- done IN TINS
room. appeal 10 you as onH Amrri'
ran citizen 10 another 10 avert TINS
disaster.
The President referred 10 the, disas,
trouS effec: which a strike would have,
especially at this time when every
ounce Of American energy and inlila-
tive has IN be modified 10 mfcL the rX,
lraordinary situation which VIII
emerge out Of the European war.
Reiteratns that it was impossible
for him TO bring about arbitration un-
der present. conditions the President
declared il was necessary 10 discuss
practical methods Of avoiding strike.
The war. he said. had taught this
country that il can no longer remain
isolated and provincial: that by reas-
on Of its position in tho affairs OF the
world. we must be- ready to play our
role as one OF the dominant influences
in the worlds affairs and that in or
der 10 meet the cXiccnccs Of new
world conditions the varied business
and economic interests OF the nation
must be brought together into an har-
moniouS whole.
Our great resources cannot be
made available or modified in an en-
Urgency as Il necessary part OF Nd
tional Defense" he added. unless the
railroads are made servicrable instru-
menraitios for backing up any plan OF
national preparedness.
Promised Consideration.
The railroad executives did not
enter into an argument with the presi-
dent bur Hale Holden. president of
the Burlington. spoke for the roads.
promised deep consideration Of the
plan and said the officials would seek
TO reach an agreement as soon as pos
sihle.
MeSSage on the situation continued
20 arrive at the White House all day.
Many upheld the presidents position
and many other urged him 70 support
the railroads in their demand for arbi.
traton. Petitions signed by 10000
non-union employees OF the Pennsyl.
vania railroad, opposing Il strike OF
the members of the four great broth
erhnnds. were taken 10 the White
House during the day. making total
Of 10000 signatures attached 10 such
petitions.
\. r. Garretson. spokesman for the
br0t herhoods, declined tonight 10 make
any comment on the railroad man
ayers statement. Any reply 10 it, he
said. would be in the form Of an oifi-
cial statement tomorrow.
MT. Lees Statement.
Mr.. Lees statement follows:
THAI the railroads should grant, un-
H'G threat ~ q lldll'iidl NLl ihS' n So.
hnh.o"n wage. prefermcnt 70 a small
minority OF their employees. without
hearing before a public tribunal, is in
conceivable in a Democracy like ours.
All questions ut issue-waGes. hours.
costs. operating conditions-these are
submerged By the greater issue. Shall
arbitration he abandoned in the settle
mon; Of Industrial disputes?
IF Wa are 70 throw arbitration into
the scrap heap what hor- can there lac
in America for industrial peace in the
future?
~ nation wide strike Ia unthinkahle
when the railroads arc urging that all
tho matters in dispute ho placed before
any tribunal constituted by public au-
thority.
"Arhitration !s urged 10y congress as
final method for settling controversies
as Ia both hours and wages on the
railroads.
The Newland law of 1919 was on
acted by unanimous request nf III" four
railroad hrotherhoodS, and tn" rcprcScn-
tativcs of the rai!roads And yet the
the position that question Of hours il
beyond arbitration.
''Rut wages. not hours. arc involved
in these demands. No proposal has been
The demand is for an eight hour pay
basis and this is tho Interpretation Civ
on by III" president in the proposal now
before the railroads. Tho employees hnve
Tl1fl'' IL KNOWN llhi lnFN
do not want eight hours work for eight
hours pay-a real eight hour day.
Gives Illustration.
"A simple illustration Will suffice TO
show how the hour basis OF pay would
work out Take. for example. q freight
employee paid five cents n mile with
days guarantee OF $500 for 100 miles or
ton hours or loss. IL is proposed Ia
make this guarantee the Same for.
hours or less. on a freight run of. say
nnly.G miles In ten hours. he earns $500
This time. It is now proposed that
for this work ho be paid $500 for the
first eight hours and SIS for the other
two hours. a total az Sf.25. increasing
his pay - Per cent
IF. by reason OF traffic delays. he Is
held idle on u Sdetrack. 50 that he docs
not complete his trip until the end of
l2 hours, he nov is paid $50" for his
time no matter how little work hn por-
forms. The demand is to pay him $50
for his IL hours service.
"Sieanwhilc the employees would CON
tinue to have tho same opportunities IS
now 70 make still larger pay on tho
mileage basis. Tnr example. the man on
f. five cent an hour mile rate. making.
say, 15n miles in only { hours. earns
$3.50 for his days work. It after this
he is called for short period OF en-
Urgency work say. only two hours. Ii"
gets another full days guarantee 81
$40. making S12.5h. in this example, for
only hours service.
Increase Unfair.
Many other schedule PROVISIONS IN
crease wages of these well paid nor
without increase in their hours of SER
vice 1t is because nj these npNnrtuni-
Tics to take na% urd"r mil"aE" or arbi-