Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-08-28

tain minimum, maximum and average
wages paid. with hours Of service, to
every class of railroad employee, to COM
pare them with wages OF other industries
in which similar skill and risk are In
volved. to determine the relation OF rail-
road wages to railroad revenues, and to
urge both sides to the present dispute to
defer action pending the investigation.
At the conferences yesterday considers
keeping the railroads in operation in the
event of a strike and how far Congress
should go in extending federal authority
over the railroads.
Democratic senators who CHANGED to
be in conference at the Capitol on the
revenue bill last night when the Presi-
dent unexpectedly appeared there in
search of Senator Kern were gravely
concerned over the prospects. All
conceded that the crisis probably would
prolong the session of Congress.
President Consults Kern.
When the President, after an auto
mobile trip through the rain. reached
the Capitol he asked a policeman at
the door to direct him to the finance
committee room. The policeman an
nounced the Presidents arrival. and
Senator Kern hastily left the room.
For several minutes he talked with
the President in the hall. Later they
room, after janitor had been found
to turn on the lights. The conference
concluded, the President left without
consulting other democratic leaders
Il cannot discuss the subject Of the
Presidents visit" said Senator Kern,
further than to say that it concerned
the railroad situation The affair is
50 complicated. one possible develop
ment depending upon another. that l
cannot disclose what is in the Presi-
dents mind. OF course, II the nego-
tiations to settle the strike fail Con-
gress must endeavor to solve the diff
Guilty
Finance Committee Takes It Up.
Following the Presidents unprece-
dented night visit the meeting Of the
finance committee democrats was de-
waited from the task of polishing up
the revenue bill to a discussion Of the
prospects before Congress relating to
the railroad crisis. Among those pres
ent were Senators Hoke Smith of
Georgia, Stone. Williams. Hughes.
committee. All agreed that Congress
must abandon all idea OF adjournment
as long as 1t might be necessary to aid
in averting national industrial dis
aster
"Of course. all adjournment plans
have been forgotten" said Senator
Simmons land must wait on the work
ing out of this railroad crisis. 1 do not
know just what is in President VIII
sons mind for Congress to do. Much
further conferences.
Il think the first thing Congress
should do. in event of failure of the
negotiations, is to enact some leg
ell ,ol hvan Il
between the railroads and the men.
How this may be done I do not know,
but / believe definite plans along this
line are already being considered"
Several senator's asserted that Con-
gress could prevent the strike. and
some went SO far as to say that 1T
must prevent it. and would. They added
that public discussion about the method
of accomplishing this result should
await an actual break in pending ne
gotiations
: Committee Debates Problem.
Senator Newlands. after leaving the
White House yesterday. said:
Il have been discussing the situation
with members of the interstate COM,
merce committee. and will continue to
discuss it. No meeting of the COM
mittee to plan definite action is sched-
uled. but should negotiations fail. the
committee will be called at once.
Tn event of a strike. tho most Sc
rious immediate problem viii be that
of keeping the railroads in operation.
and of determining how far the fed
eral government should go to prevent
Generalization of business and COM
plete stagnation OF commerce. A strike
Of the dimensions of that now threat
ened would be civil war.
1T Is idle to ignore the fact that such
a strike could not be won without
force. 1t would be necessary for tho
government to use force and to resort
to the military and every other agency
at its disposal to Offset violence and
keep the roads open.
How far the government should go
in the matter Of forcing operation of
the roads is a serious problem for Con-