Arizona republican., 1916-08-27

The executives held several meet ings during the day but no change resulted in the position they took last night when they approved rough draft of their reply to Presi- dent Wilson. It was 6:30 tonight when the committee of eight. which has handled the negotiations an- nounced that they had asked for a conference with President Wilson and awaited his pleasure. After a two hours wait the executives an- nounced that President Wilson had informed them he would prefer not to see them tonight
 The situation as summed up late tonight by those close in touch with it. was this:
 President Wilson has seen the pub lished reports of the reply the exc cutives will make him Monday and does not wish to accept it. It would not surprise those in the confidence of the railroad officials to have him make counter proposal at that time. retaining his original proposal for an eight -hogr day but offering the roads as compensation congressional as surances of a freight rate increase and a commission to settle future disputes.
 Among the executives tonight it clearly was cNluenl lHdl SuCH d counter proposal probably would not he accepted Whether they would receive it from President Wilson and take it under consideration for a few days, was not at all certain, but its ultimate rejection was forecast gen. orally.
 The proposition of the men is not clear. Apparently they will not ac- cept the reply of the executives as Il has been published, but they might be willing to negotiate with it as basis. They will meet again at | o'clock tomorrow morning.
 Nobody knows the attitude o congress toward the suggested leg islation. It was pointed out tonigh that there are many senators who bit terIv opposed the five eper cent in crease recently granted the easterI roads and criticized the commission for it's position in the case and wh' might he expected to oppose any pro posal that would direct the commis sion to grant another increase.
 The executives appear confiden that public opinion will be with then in their insistence upon the principl of arbitration and their opposition U an eight-hour day
 The executives reply will be divide into argument and statement of thei position. Their statement will shoy that they do not accept the eight hour day with pay for ten hours a demanded by the men; that the maintain this demand really is on for an increase in wages; and tha a question of a wage increase is matter of arbitration and for settle ment in no other way. It will sug gest the creation of a commissio 10 arbitrate this wage question o delegation of power to the interstat commerce commission to arbitrte. would make the arbitration retroac tive and the roads would pledg themselves to create a fund to cal for back wages if increases are ap proved by the arbitration board.
 Three things are cited by the exec utives to back up this position. Firs is that many of the big shippers ( the country have declared themselvt opposed to an abandonment of al bitration and have insisted that a eight hour day must not be grante The second is q conviction that give in to the men under presef conditions would undermine disciplT on the roads to a serious extent ar would have far reaching after effect The third is that no matter what a! surances are given they feel the cannot expect a rate increase. Tn feeling is explained with statemen that the roads have not forgottC the way they were attacked wht the five per cent case was up, al that thpv do not care to lose Il