New Britain herald., 1916-08-29
STRIKE MONDAY, IS
 NEW ORDER TODAY
Continued From First Page).

already ordered they could not be
 prevented by legal processes from
 making it effective, while it left them
 free to call it off if a settlement satis-
 factory to them was reached.
 Shortly after 1O:3O o'clock a tele-
 phone call came to the White House
 from the railroad executives to the
 effect that the committee of eight
 would like to see President Wilson. He had engagements up until 1 1 o'clock, but informed the executives
 that he would see them if possible.
 Later the President sent word to the executives he would see them at II o'clock and postponed his cabinet
 meeting to do so.
 | After a thirty minute conference 1 with President Wilson the commit l tee of eight railroad executives an- l nCunced they would issue a state | ment later. They said that the state l ment would make their position in l tho controversy clear. Executives Statement. Direct negotiations between the through President Wilson were prac- ically closed when the executives refused to accede to a proposal made to them yesterday by MT. Wilson and presented to him a statement of their position containing another argu- ment for arbitration.
 The statement presented to Presi- dent Wilson by the committee of eight denies that the Judgment of so- ciety favors an eight hour day and declares that arbitration is the only proper way of settling industrial dis putes.
 The suggestion of President Will son for a proposal including the prin- ciple of the eight hour day but post poning it's effectiveness for a year pending investigation, was rejected by the railroad executives at the con- ference this morning.
 The action of the railroad presi- dents, taken in connection with the strike order of the employees, left President Wilson no alternative but to go to congress in a final effort to avert the strike by legislation.
 Brotherhood leaders, it was under stood will fight the compulsory inves- tigation feature of President Will sons program but support his eight hour proposal.
 Every effort will be made, it was said, to get separate votes on the proposition in congress, and leaders were confident that could be done.
 Canadian Plan Labor Throttle.
 A. B. Garretson, spokesman for the men, said: The Canadian compul- sorry investigation plan has proved the greatest throttle to labor that ever has been devised. Invariably and I speak from experience-in deal- ing with railways, the railroad heads have used this delay guaranteed them by law to prepare for a strike.
 '"rhe eight hour day proposal fail ing to carry, as 1t will of course, any reference to wages would not en- brace our present demands and not be wholly satisfactory to us. It would have the effect, however, of bringing the unorganized 80 per cent. of rail- 1 way labor of which the railway heads l speak so feelingly under an eight | hour day. It would be a step in the 1 right direction"
 In order to have an effect on the 1 present proposed strike the presi- ! dents legislative program would have | to pass both houses and become a 1 law before next Monday morning. Once the men have left their trains, 1 investigation would not | effect them, in the opinion of brother hood officials. The officials declined to discuss this phase of the situation further.
 Status of Situation.
 A summary of developments in the strike situation follows:
 Negotiations between the railroads and the brotherhoods through Presi- dent Wilson were definitely broken | off. -~-....,.,.-" N->.
 The brotherhood leaders definitely order the strike to begin at a. m., i Labor Day, unless the order is coun- | termanded and declared only a set tlement favora ble to the men could 1 change it.
 President Wilson prepared to go 1 before congress in joint session with !! proposals for new laws to prevent the | strike. The latest authentic outline | of the proposals is as follows:
 Increase of the interstate commerce | commission from seven to nine mem | berS
 An eight hour law for railroad em- 1 plOyes in actual interstate transpOrta- ] ton.
 To empower the federal board of | mediation to fully investigate opera | tiOn of an eight hour day on rail- roads.
 To empower the interstate com mission to consider the eight hour day in connection with making rates.
 A measure similar to the Canadian industrial disputes act for an investf- gation of all disputes between rail- roads and their employees.
 A measurt empowering the presi- dent to operate trains with the pri- mary object of providing the Ameri- can troops on Mexican border with food.