The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-21
NEITHER wilson
NOR RAIL HEADS
Will SURRENDER
BrotherhOOds Waiting But
Merely as Spectators.
Western Railroad Presidents
Rush to Washington.
REPLIES To MANUFACTURERS
Wilson Says He Is Paving Way
for Arbitration.
Capital Still Predicts Rail Srike
Will Be Averted.
REPLIES TO manufacturers
Wilson Says He Is Paving Way
for Arbitration.

Washington, Aug. 21.-Big railroad
men of the west hurrying into Wash
ington today with the single demand
of "arbitration" on their lips-fou1d
President Wilson'S answer waiting
them. It is that acceptance Of tie
eight hour day now and appointment
Of a commission to investigate all the
arbitration points involved in the
threatened railway strike. is the surest
means toward bringing about ger
manent, workable arbitration for the
future.
Arrival of the western railroad pres
idents and receipt of hundreds OF tel
egrams from commercial and INDUS
trial concerns all over the country
were the features of the first day or
the second week of the presidents
Intervention between the warr1nS rail-
roads and railroad brothernOodS. Ihc
presidents came at President Wilson's
Invitation and the telegrams-in part
at least Executives here made no Sc
cret of the fact that they were lining
up all possible business support for
their arbitration contention.
10000 Manufacturers Appeal
The president made his answer
known in reply to one of these tele-
grams. that from George Pope. presi-
dent of the National Association OF
Manufacturers. Pope declared $4,000
manufacturing organizations employ
ing hundreds of thousands of persons
are utterly dependent on uninterrupt-
ed railroad service He urged the
president to prevent the threatened
stoppage of railroad service and at
the same time to maintain the prin-
cipie of arbitration.
Existing means have failed, the
president replied, and declared he is
moving to strengthen the principle OF
arbitration so that such situation can
not rise again. Regarding the eight
hour dav. he said in his telegram to
Pope. '"Fhe whole economic move
ment OF the time seems to point
to it.
Can't Move Wilson. -..
The opinion in Washington today is
that demands on the president by the
railroad heads for arbitration of the
eieht-hour day, therefore. will not
move him. The conflict would seem
to be irreconcilable. but the feeling in
Washington is unmistakable that In
some manner the strike will be avoid
ed Representatives of the brother
hoods now consider themselves more
or less on the side lines. 1t has be-
come a struggle between President
Wilson and the railroad for the time
being. they say, and they are waiting
to see how it comes out. before they
again take a hand.
President Ri0ley Arrives.
Louis w Hill, head of the Great
Northern, arrived at 9:20 a. m. He
was given hearty greeting by other
presidents and railway men in the
lobby of the willard hotel He de-
clined to talk about the strike until
he had had time to go over the situa-
ton with other executives. The latter
had arranged meeting for 4 o'clock.
at which time the managers also were
20 have a meeting. Other presidents
arriving during the morning were E.
p. Ripley, Santa Fa; Jacob NJ. Diclkin-
son. former secretary of war. now re-
ceiver for the Rock Island; Ralph Pc
terson. Long Island; C. r. Grey. West
ern Maryland. and L. E. johnson,
Norfolk q Western.
The men apparently are satisfied
to have won the presidents support of
the eight-hour day. On other points
they may be expected to yield should
a deadlock be reached on the present
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