The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-09-01

t ! financial burden and perfect machinery to make impossible in the future am
 other crisis like the present. Tonight
 the committee worked until late on
 the bill to be presented to the Senate
 tomorrow.
 TWO CLEAR FACTS
 l Out of the nine hours argument two facts stood clearly. In the estimation of all affected parties Congress can prevent l a strike and the public eventually will foot the bill for an eight-hour day, with 1! 10 hours pay, which the trainmen de- | mand. The railroad executives and the 1 shippers insisted that the strike order at least should be postponed and the four brotherhood chiefs declared with equal vehemence 1t could not be.
 1 All sides apparently were more or less satisfied with the hearing. which had given them an opportunity to lay their cases before the public.
 DRAMATIC SCENE
 A dramatic scene in which A. B. Gar I retson, spokesman for the trainmen and president of the Order of Railway Con- ductors, was the general figure, brought
 tho hearing to q climax tonight shortly before the taking of testimony closed. l Throughout the day members of the i committee at different times asked the four brotherhood heads if they were
 powerless to stop the strike save by re- porting satisfactory settlement to their men. The question invariably was evad- i ed, the replies being that MT. Garretson would explain the situation before the hearing closed
 1 For almost an hour MT. Garretson kept the crowd laughing with quaint express sions and humorous stories. When he
 had only three minutes left in which to speak his brother presidents urged him to answer the question of power to post pone a strike. He suddenly became se- rious. stood erect, gazed at the ceiling for a moment and then began to speak. .sWe have been asked he said slowly, If we have the power to defer this strike It has been called for next Mon- day. I have the power to defer that date ] in my organization, but in the other or ganizations the situation is different. The heads of the other brotherhoods cannot call back the strike order.
 WILL NOT BE TRAITOR But here is where stand For years my men have trusted me. When stood before the President the other night and he asked me if this could be done found my Gethsemane. To the men who have made me the recipient of all these things I owe my first obligation. I can put it ! off. but if I did without gaining a sat isfactory settlement, there would finger in the minds of those who have trusted me thoughts of treachery If put it off, across a fair record of 30 years would bel written the word 'traitor!' T
 For a moment the witness paused and seemed to peer far out over the heads of the crowd. Then tears came into hisl started to speak but choked. Apparently
 summoning all his strength, he threw out hio arms. lowered his eyes to the crowd and. in low voice. asked: Gan I face it?' and dropped into his chair. l Not person in the room moved for several seconds MT. Garretson relieved the situation by rising from his chairI and leaving the chamber
 ROAD HEADS OPEN Elisha Lee, chairman of the managers committee. headed the delegation of rail- road officials, which included President Underwood of the Erie President Willard of the Baltimore and Ohio. Samuel Rea. president of the Pennsylvania: Fairfax Harrison. president of the Southern; R. s. Lovett. chairman of the board of tho Union Pacific; D. H. Coapman. vice presl- dent of the Southern: N. D. Maher. viceI president of the Norfolk and Western; l l.. w. Baldwin. general manager Of the Central of Georgia. and w. L Siddon. vice president of the seaboard. MEN REPRESENTED I.TRepresenting the men were A. B. Car l retson. w. c. Lee. w. s. Stone and w. s. Carter. the four brotherhood heads officials of the American Federation of Labor headed by President Gompers: As- sistant Attorney General Todd and E. E. Clark of the interstate commerce com- mission. also were present l At the outset Senator Newlandu, chair Eman of the committee. announced It's pur- pose and said none of tho proposed leg Iislation involved compulsory arbitration sIt simply provides" he said. '.in easel |sof tho failure ofs voluntary mediation and fartltxafiou for Govarnment inquiry and
 F ali1 # tho action of all tho parties
 lyeysfey until invsstIsation and
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