Arizona republican., 1916-08-24

generally but that no legislation to meet the situation had been gone over specifically. The bill adding two members to the interstate commerce commission which has already passed the house and which will come before the senate Friday was one Of the measures discussed II was under stood also that the creation of a per manent commission to investigate such controversies was one Ol the subjects mentioned.
 IL was understood definitely tocay that the railroad executives had de- cided to act as q unit in handling the present situation
 The program of the railroad execu- tiYes. as understood today. was to deal with the principle Of arbitration an1 ufterward with the eight hour day.
 In administration circles today, t was declared that both the president and .he railroad executives seemed to be on the way to an agreement.
 The three presidents. who were at the White House last night, left with President Wilson comprehensive statement of the estimated cost of extending an eight hour day to all railroad employees and employees in in | dustlial concerns throughout the country. with the requese that tre president examine them carefully
 The railroad presidents take the | position that extension of the eight hour day to railroad trainmen event ually means that il must be extended to all other railroad workers and to many of those in industrial pursuits.
 Befcre the meeting Of all the execu- ! tiyes with the committee of eight to- | day. il became apparent that there would be some difficulty in getting all the presidents to agree to any counter proposals which involved an eigh hour day with ten hours pay. i So far as the bankers interested in i the roads are concerned, one presi- <, dent of a big eastern road said today that, instead Of urging the presidents , to accede 70 the White House de- mands. bankers were for the most part using their influence to support the executives in their insistence upon i arbitration.
 Some of the men urged that most ] of them go home leaving the brother hood heads with authority to call a strike. if the railroads do not accept 1 the presidents plan.
 The meeting adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Frequently shouts and applause were heard ' block away from the hall.
 "It is our belief" one of the com mitteemen said. that the railroads orc playing for time with the presi- | dent just as they have done with Us 1 for many months. They are tiring IS out all right and the men are getting disgusted
 1 While the railroad executives con | tinue deliberations on what form oi counter proposal they shall make to President Wilson's plan. the president
 conferred with Senator Newlands and 1 Representative Adamson. chairmen of tho interstate commerce commissions l in congress. about the bill to increase
 the membership of the interstate com merce commission by two. Senator 1 Nevlands afterward announced he | would push his bill immediately. 1 Possibility of passing an eight hour | law for railroads was discussed l among several congressional leaders. but no definite program was evolved and it was understood no action
 wonld he taken unless the Tresldenta efforts failed
 l There were many indications that the railroad presidents were consider l ing .he eight hour day. on c"nditloh that some definite assurance he given
 them that future disputes be arbl- trated
 Elisha Lee chairman of the man agcrs committee, made this state ment
 l There seems to l'e some question of the accuracy of the estimate e' made by the railways ot what II | would cost to grant tho dem"nds n' | the train employees and | p'ake this
 statement to clarifv the public mine on this phase of the matter
 "There has been no charge In olli
 original estimate that, to grant the
 demands. would add s100.OOo Oao I year 10 operating expenses on the contrary. subsequent invesflgatloh'
 have confirmed tho suhstantial ac-
 curary of that estimate.
 "Confusion nav have a~isen ron the fact that we have estimated ina if would cost more than Sa0 0o0e 7 year to mokc the concessions WH'cf President Wilson hoe proposed tha'
 we make. The difference betw"Hi the estimates is due of course. to tr'
 fact that yh nresident has prom'1"f that we immediateiv Frant on'v par
 nf the demands and that eolisideHa
 ton of the rest of them be poa,'
 poned."