Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-28
President May Go Before Law
makers With Special Mes
sage Tuesday or Wednesday
Telling of Negotiations Now
Secret
NO SIGN EITHER SIDE
is WILLING TO YIELD
Railroad Executives Leave
Committee to Insist Eight
Hour Day Cannot Be Grant
ed; Employees Predict Break


fAssccisted Press BIZ Federal wireless)
WARRINGTON, o. c., Aug. 2s.-
President wilson's plan for breaking
the deadlock between capital and Ia
bor-the railroad executives and the
employees preventing the strike
Of 100000 men was discussed today At
several oificlaI conferences, while the
railroad presIdeHts and brotherhood
representatives remaining In Wash
Inaton worked In committee TO see II
agreement can be reached.
The president suggests that the
railroads put In effect the elght-hour
day plan and that the brotherhoods
give the roads time to prepare for the
change 90 that Il will necessitate a.
little trouble a. possible.
The law he 70 understood TO favor,
covering future controversies, 10 pat
termed after the Canadian act Great
ing ! commlssIou TO investigate labor
disputes and prevent strikes and lock-
outs meanwhile, u being unlawful to
strike or 70 lock out employees while
the Investigation 10 under way.
Because Of the deveIopnaents In the
railroad situatlon, congressional lead
ere DO not now hope for adjournment
thIe week. They tnve settled down TO
stay ss Tong as necessary 70 enact
ieoIslatIon 70 meet the sitnation.
N alI neootlstlons fall and the pres
ident goes before Congress on Tues
day or Wednesday next with q special
message 70 propose action, he will re-
veal the details Of al negotiations In
which the government has had a
share. This Was stated today.
With the departure yesterday of
$40 delegates who have represented
the four railroad brotherhoods In the
conference with President Wilson and
executives of the big railroads, the
outlook for peaceful settlement Of
the transportation problems grew in
creasingly remote.
Tentative plans were discussed by
the president and Senator John z.
Kern Of Indiana, majority leader in
the senate, for joint session of Con-
gress to hear the president, who
would ask for the passage of legisla.
ton to prevent the strike.
Before leaving for their homes the
brotherhood representatives appoint
ed - OF their number as a special
committee with full power to take
what action seems best to settle the
differences now existing between the
men and the railroad heads. Although
vested with plenary power to act on
all minor matters, they are restricted
to the extent that no decision can be
reached except on the basis of an
eight-hour day without any reduction
In the present wage scale.
A number OF the brotherhoods' del.
egates declared yesterday that II was
useless to make any further attempts
TO settle the differences peacefully. |
II was even stated that a strike of |
the men and tie-up OF all the great |
trunk systems was inevitable. One |
OF the delegates went so far as to |
assert that the hour for ordering the |
strike had been fixed. The strike or.
der. he said, would be issued this
week. probably Friday or Saturday |
PRESIDENT Wilson is expectti to |
nave q conference with the railroad |
executives today Their answer to |
his proposal to settle the trouble, it is |
said, has been completed and will be |
placed In the presidents hands imme. /
oiately. 1t is asserted that the reply |
VIII be flat refusal to treat with the
men on the basis of granting the
eight-hour day.
Arbitration is Barred,
The. eight-hour day is made the ba-
Sis OF all action on the part of the spe-
cial committee who will remain to
meet any counter proposals made by
either the railroad executives or Pres. /
ident Wilson. The men are determin-
ed that no matter what turn affairs
may take in the next IS hours they
VIII hold out for the eight-hour day
even II they are obliged to yield on
all other points.
In view of the fact that the railroad
executives have firmly set their faces
against granting the men an eight
hour day the prospects for an ami.
cable settlement seems impossible.
On this point the two sides are dead
locked The railroad men will not ar
nitrate any of the other points involv.
cd until they are granted the eight
hour day, and the officials declare II
Is impossible to meet this demand
without the loss of millions of dollars.
In fact at present there appears to be
10 common ground upon which the
opposing factions can meet for fur
ther discussion.
That this is the feeling is indicated