The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-14
Secretary Tumulty Is Dispatch
ed to New York on Import
ant Mission
BURDEN BEING PLACED
ON RAILROAD employees
If President Fails In Effort to
Persuade Submission to
Arbitration He May Ask
Emergency Legislation

Washington, Aug. 13.-President
Wilson sent Presidential Secretary Jo-
seph p Tumulty to New York this
afternoon with a communication from
the President to the Federal Board
Of Mediation and Cancellation. The
White House would not divulge the
character of the communication FUR
Their than that 1t was important and
that 1t related to the railway situa-
ton.
1t was believed, however. that the
message carried by Mr.. Tumulty was
an insistence by the President that
the railway brotherhoods' conference
committee and the committee OF rail-
way manage confer with him at the
White House. The initial invitation
was presented to both sides yester-
day by the board of mediation and
Cancellation after receiving instruc-
tons from President Wilson. The
greatest confidence was expressed in
administration quarters that President
Wilson will succeed In inducing the
brotherhoods' executives to submit TO
arbitration OF their demands.
The action of the President in send
ing hrs private secrets r. 5ss1Sew York.
however, indicated to close observers
OF the situation that the President
feared a strike might be called sud-
denly, and he desired to emphasize
his determination to prevent It.
May Get Emergency LegIsAetion.
If the President should fail to per
suade the two parties TO submit their
differences to arbitration, 1t Is likely
that President Wilson will go before
Congress before a strike could be-
come effective and recommend the
passage of emergency legislation.
What the character of this legislation
would be could not be learned. 1t
e. ~ 4. t,.ath b.. Ia
partment of Justice and the Postoffice
Department, in addition TO Congress,
would take action the nature OF which
has not been divulged.
The government, IL was said, au-
thoritatively today. Will not tolerate
"a serious dislocation of the mails
transportation service. There are two
laws under which the government
might bring action to compel the OPP
Grafton of mail trains II would be
necessary, It was said. for every rail-
road in the country which now trans
ports mails to operate from one 10
nifty trains daily for the carriage of
malls.
Interfering with Mails.
:, The nEst statptss uaaaeT ywhieh tbs
administration might Institute pro-
ceedings is that prohibiting Interior
ence with the mails. A strike as we'll
as any other act which INSTRUCTED
the transportation of the mails would
be comprehended by this law. 1t was
said. The second law Is the con-
spiracy section of the Federal stat
utes. The penalties under this sec
ton are two years Imprisonment or
a fine OF $4,000 or both, In the dis
erection OF the court.
There would be a conspiracy, gov
! eminent legal. experts declared, II ii
should be proved that the employees
by striking attempted to stop or TO
interfere with the proper carriage OF
the mails. and that this result was
counted upon by them to assist them
in winning the strike. II they refused
to operate mail trains, II was said
and held this refusal over the heads
OF the railroads as weapon with
which to force the roads to yield to
their demands, they would be guilty
Of a conspiracy and of interfering
with the mails. The roads being I'M
der contract to transport mails, will
be held strictly to the execution OF
their obligations by the government
and II Is expected by officials that they
would throw their burden Of respon-
sibility for any failure to operate
them upon their employees. charge
, OF that character would be referred