The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-08-25
Heads of railroads Ask Presi-
dent MDson To Show Them
Where Additional Revenue Is
Coming From To Meet Raise
CONGRESS MAY PERMIT
> FREIGHT RATE ADVANCE

A..Oeia.sd Pres, by Federal Wireless,

ASSOCIATED Press by Federal Wireless)
NUI ASHINGTON, August 24.-The
" question of how the railroads
are to get the additional reve-
nue. they insist that they will require
if they are to grant the demand Of
the men for an eight.hour day, is be-
heved TO have been the subject Of the
discussion held between Hale Holden,
Daniel willard and Judge Lovett, pre-
sidents of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy, the Baltimore & Ohio and the
Hartman lines, respectively, and Pre-
sident Wilson at the White House yes
terday afternoon.
1t is understood that the railroad
heads pointed out that the granting of
the full demands of the men would
mean an additional one hundred mil
lion dollars a year, to the payrolls of
the lines.
Claim Men Are Well Paid
They declared that the roads are
now paying forty.four cents out of
every dollar earned to their employees,
and that the men are now getting far
more money than other workers in
Gmilar Glasses of employment. They
lded that this money would mean the
luivelent of five per cent advance on
IL freight rates.
Senate and house leaders last night
agreed that congress will do everything
in its power to avert the threatened
strike, by the passage of legislation to
help solve the difficulty and to provide
against the recurrence of it in the
future. 1t was even intimated that
congress might adopt joint resolution
calling upon the Interstate Commerce.
Commission to grant the request, of.
the railroads for a higher freight
rate.
Presidents Now Anxious
The fact that the railroad presidents
fully realized the necessity of granting
the eight-hour demands of the men,. If
they are to avoid a strike became
more and MORE evident in their talk
yesterday The situation was admit
teddy more tense than it has been since
President Wilson took part in the nego-
.tiatiOn between the brOtheThoOds and
the lines.
II is definitely understood that the
railroad executives after long and re-
peated conferences, have decided to act
as unit in handling the situation.
The program they will insist upon
deals with the principle of arbitration
inst and afterward with discussion of
the mems demand for an eight-hour
day.
Railroads May Surrender
The Indications are that the rail-
roads win concede the eight hour day
on condition of an assurance that flu
ture disputes be arbitrated.
The employees charge that the execu-
tives are playing for time, but are
apparently willing to give President
Wilson the opportunity TO settle the
controversy.
o. The crisis became confessedly more
tense with the acknowledgement by
leaders of the brotherhOods that it is
getting difficult to hold their men, who
are demanding action in consonanee
with the strike vote which they took.
The negotiations with the railroad
operators are said to be prospective Of
80 much delay that the union leaders
are finding the men increasingly rest
hess,
E Union men say that the railroads
are disposed to disregard the sacrifice
by the employees of their demand for
time and half for overtime.
President Holds Conference
President Wilson, Chairman New
lands of the senate interstate com
merce committee, and Chairman Adam.
son of the house committee on inter
state and foreign commerce, conferred
on the strike situation.
A reply from the railroad men to the
statement of the President at the con,
ference on Monday is still awaited.