The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-08-25
the executives are prolonged.
Case for the Public.

Case for the Public.
The railroad executives who are
counting upon winning the presldens
to their position in the negotiations
say that the case after all is to be de-
cided by public opinion and that this
will be found to support arbitration
and condemn the eight hour day.
The cabinet discussed the situation
at today's meeting and in the opinion
o. some OF the members the danger
o. strike has been greatly lessened.
1t Is understood that the chief OBJ
ject of the visit to the White House
was to ask the president to state spe-
cidcally how he expected the railroads
to make up the millions OF dollars
which the managements say it will
cost them to put into effect the eight
hour basic day they are asked to
grant. What the president said IN
reply none Of the committeeman
would reveal. Heretofore, according
to the railroad men, Mr.. Wilson has
dealt with this phase of the subjecs
only in the most general terms.
Besides l]dessrs. Holden, Lovetu and
willard, the committee of railroad
presidents includes Fairfax Harrison
of the Southern railway, W. W. At
terbury of the Pennsylvania, E. P.
Ripley of the Santa Fe, A. H. Smith
of the New York Central and Frank
Trumbull of the Chesapeake & Ohio.
Men Grow Restive.
Discomfort over being held in
Washington without prospect OF
prompt action by the railroad mana
gers caused some of the brotherhood
men to protest today at one of their
two meetings. W. G. Lee, mead OF
the trainmen's brotherhood, silenced
objections, however, by assuring the
men that in his belief they would not
be held here more than 48 hours
longer. There will be another meet
ing tomorrow morning.
An invitation to visit the capitol,
extended the men today by Vice Pres
ident Marshall, was accepted by a
large number. The vice president ad-
dressed them cordially.
The brotherhood heads in the first
formal statement since arriving In
Washington replied to various con-
tentions of the nailroad managers anc
presidents who are urging arbitration.
The statement declared that the rail-
roads never had shown desire to
resort to arbitration unqualihedly for
settling their differences with EN-
ployes. AS proof of this they named
81 railway lines, all of which, they
maintained, are controlled by larger
systems represented by the railroad
managers, the employees OF which
never have been offered the advan-
tages of arbitration by the roads be-
cause, the statement declared, their
owners do not fear the results OF
strikes on them.
The statement said in part:
"It is true that the executives OF
the four brotherhoods advocated the
uassage of the 'NewIands act and thev
did so under the mistaken belief
(which subsequent experience has
shattered) that its terms would oe
carried out in good faith by the rep.
resentatives of the companies.
Are Not Consistent.
"The sincerity of this new born and
loudly proclaimed belief, as expressed
by the spokesman of the railway pres
ideuts-'It is essentially the common
right of every citizen, OF whatever
station in life, to be heard. to nave
his day in court and, We stand for
the principle of aroitration for the
settlement OF industrial disputes ana
the further statement by the chair
man of the conference committee OF
managers, If We are to throw arDi-
tration into the scrap heap, what
hopes can: there be in America for
industrial peace in the future? IS
best shown by the attitude OF these
railway companies who are loudly
proclaiming the virtues Of arbitration
and their undying adherence thereto;
by the attitude of those same COM
panies toward arbitration on O long