Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-08-29
WILSON ADDRESSES
CONGRESS TODAY

CONTINUED From First Page1
ing to carry, as it will, of course. any
reference to wages would not embrace
our present demands and not be wholly
satisfactory to us. 1t would have the
effect, however, of bringing the unor-
ganized 80 per cent. of railway labor
of which the railway heads speak so
feelingly under an Aight-hour day. 1t
would be a step in the right direction.
and ] think you would find the rail-
roads opposing it vigorously
In order to have any effect on the
present proposed strike, the Presi-
dents legislative program would nave
to pass both houses and become law
before next Monday morning. once
the men have left the trains, compul-
sorry investigation would not aHect
them, in the opinion of BROTHERHOOD
! officials. The officials declined to dis
cuss this phase of the situation further.
brotherhood Heads Object
The brotherhood heads, Garretson
Stone. Lee and Carter, issued the tol-
lowing statement explaining their op-
position to any legislation along the
| plan of the Canadian commission:
"Since the abolition of slavery no
more effectual means has been oe-
vised for insuring the bondage OF the
working men than the passage OIL COM
pulsory investigation acts of the char-
acter of the Canadian Industrial DIS
putes Act. The writer's speak from
their personal experience thereunuer
as these organizations are all lnterha-
tional in their jurisdiction. 10 clle al
actual occurrence:
I'm 1910 the men upon eighty rail-
roads in the eastern territory OF the
United States presented to the railway
! companies of that territory demand
for increase in wages. The companies
refused to deal concertedly with the
proposition and it was therefore taken
up with the individual roads. Three
of the properties were Canadian and
2 days after negotiations were opened
! on January the first road In the
United States negotiation opened on
the three Canadian properties. Ihe
negotiations in the United States IN
cInded federal mediation in the first
instance and arbitration in the thlrd
case. e.,
Ion the nineteenth day of July fol-
| lowing settlement was made on the
last of the II American lines involved
| on the same date, at 6 p. m. strike
| took nIace on the Grand Trunk Rail-
way one of the Canadian railways, set
! tlement not having yet been eHected
on any one of the three, this growing
out of the delays which the empowers
were able to interpose under the IN
dustrial disputes act
tion is eternally utilized by the en-
| plover to intrench himself in his eHort
! 10 defeat the demands of the men, no
matter how just their cause may pe'
/ and in a majority of instances Wnere a
| verdict by an investigating 'coIilIiilsS
! has been favorable to the men 1t mas
| heen repudiated by the employers. In
| ccnseouence of this attitude, disregard
| for and the ignoring of the provisions
| OF that law has led to placing thou-
! sands of men in the attitude or law
breakers, and the passage or laws was
| 10 induce men to open violation.
.'In the present strife, if such an act
were nassed. all that would be neces-
| sary would be for the power or altor,
| nev to be withdrawn from the hatlonal
| conference committee of managers oy
the individual roads and then lmme-
dIe,e necessity would arise for 25O in
vcetipating boards to be created, or, II
| onI1, q limited number were provided
| for men would be compelled TO re-
main for years in involuntary serVl.
tude if they obeyed the provisions Oh
such law , All Nint+
President Wilson worked nearly all
,,,tbt On the address he will deliver
apd after comforting with chairman
! Newlands of the Senate interstate
| Commerce Committee announced ms
decision. Word was sent to the Senate
]
range a joint session. O.
Tbe President will lay before Con-
press a definite plan of legislation Tor
dealing with the situation. 1t lncludes
| hills laid before him by senator New
iande after conferences with Acting
kttornev General Todd, Secretary Lane
md SEVERAL members of the Senate
Interstate Commerce Committee.
The bills which will be taken up
! first are: c,.as,..,
Industrial Dispute act, proVldlns Tor
investigation of disputes between ,ni.t raj
roads and their employees and prevent
! ing strikes or lockouts during the
period of Investigation:
An eight hour law for railroad en-
ploves with a provision that suf1clent
! time shall be given the railroads TO
prepare for its operation.
The President also discussed with
Senator Newlands early this morning
/ legislation for stopping strike II 1t
! begins before the preventive legisla-
tion can he adopted.
r. r.. Heads Leaving
Up to the present time President
Wilson has not consulted with the
House leaders because his plans pro-
vide for introducing the bills under
contemplation as amendments to bill
already passed the House and now
pending in the Senate to increase the
membership of the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
/ The brotherhood leaders met early
this morning to discuss the latest pro-
posal of the committee of railway
executives but 1t was predicted they
would reject it. 1t was apparent that
President Wilson expected such action
and went on with preparations to lay
the situation before Congress. The
railway executives last night began
departing for their homes to be with
| their properties in the event that the
unions follow out their plan to call a
strike on Labor day.
1t was said in administration circles,
| however, that although the President
had decided to go before Congress
he had not entirely given up hope Of
bringing the two sides together
through direct negotiations and that
his efforts to that end still were be-
ing continued this morning.
In addition to starting the machin-
cry to be prepared for a strike IL all
negotiations fail 1t was said the Presi-
dents purpose in going before Con-
gress to-day was to lay all the facts in