The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-03
WILL SON IS URGED
 TO PREVENT B|G RAILROAD STRIKE
National Chamber of Com merce Fears 300,00O Men
 Will Quit Work.

Washington. Aug. s-President Wilson has been urged by the Cham Der of Commerce of the United States to take steps to prevent the threaten ed strike of 300,00O men of the Big Four' Railway Brotherhoods, which, should 1t come, will be the biggest railroad tie-up ever known in this country.
 The appeal of the chamber was made through Harry A. Wheeler of Chicago. chairman of it's committee. In 2 letter addressed to the president gesterday, he says he thinks a break Is inevitable, as investigation has con- Rinced him the roads will not modify their attitude or the men recede un- less powerful influence is brought to bear on them. He writes:
 -In the hope that you will see fit to start an inquiry on behalf of the ad- ministration as to the near approach of an actual crisis in the matter and to verify the statement which here with submit.
 Fears Settlement Is Remote.
 T met in New York with the Rail- way Executive Advisory Committee Frank F. Trumbull, chairman, and khe National Conference Committee of Railroads. Elisha Lee, chairman, to request from them definite state ment as to the position. of the roads when. the conference reconvenes to hear the result of the strike vote which was completed last week. There seems to be prevailing opinion in Washington, and I think rather generally held. throughout the country, that no Interruption of freight transportation will result and : khat some means will be found to ad- bust the differences.
 ''As a result of the meeting my con- Niction is deepened that an amicable settlement is remote, and that while bother orderly steps are yet to be taken before final break is reached, tyet such break is inevitable unless strong measures of intervention are speedily introduced.
 "On Aug. the joint conference will convene again, the men will an- mounce the result of their strike vote and the roads will reiterate their pro- posals, which the brotherhood chiefs have once declined. I am assured that there will be no modification of .the attitude of the loads. Neither is 1t, expected that the representatives of the men, with the new power of hecede from the position which they have heretofore taken.
 "The United States Board of Media tion and Cancellation may come into the matter at this point, but without sI-H ts--.s 4..A S~x rSw these contending factions together. |Ifnally, arbitration may be discussed and the break will come when the Iroads absolutely refuse to arbItra.e lchly the demands of the men and the tmen refuse with equal force to admit Unto the arbitrations the contingent tprcpossls of the roads. f1 t9
 Thus, unless there is intervention as proposed in the Senate Joint Resp Button 45, ratified ny an almost unan- fmous vote of the commercial bodies affiliated with the Chamber of Com- lrherce of the United States, or other governmental intervention on behalf lof the public, nothing will be left for lfhe men but indefinitely to defer ac- Ition or exercise the authority confer red upon them by an overwhelnlfng vote to call a strike.
 T see no ray of light nor any possi- Tbility of averting serious catas- Itrophe. I beg. MT. President, that you will regard this letter as serious fly and conservatively setting forth .he actual conditions as I sense them. and l-hat you may be led to start in mo- ition an inquiry at your earliest con yen,ence- to verify the conclusions here lecited."
 Copies of this appeal to the Presi- dent have been sent to the represent atives of the railroads. the four broth erhoods, Chairman Newlands of the Senate Committee on Interstate Com merce and Chairman Adanson of the House Committee on Interstate For eign Commerce. A special message has been addressed to all urging that steps be taken to insure intervention.
 Chairman Wheeler declares it may be imperative to call conference here in the near future, so as to inn press Congress with the necessity ot immediate action. This would be at- tended by representatives of practi- cally every important commercial body dn the United States.
 The President took the appeal un- der consideration and will prepare tc act if. necessity arises. The United States Board of Mediation and Con- ciliation does not think the situation Is as bad as pictured by the, Chamber of Commerce. Some of it's expert me. diators feel MT. Wheeler's report is prefnature.
 The railroad men will consider the vote next Tuesday and then, if the conditions warrant, the board win act ' the meantime President Wilson may call conferences with leadine railroad operators and brotherhood men. The Board of Mediation is au. thorized by law to act
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