South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-08-21

The railroad executives, in heated
! conference. had previously decided
10 wait until all their number had
reached Washington. This decision
! did not suit the president He de-
( manded that they appear before him
/ today The railroad executives then
! proposed that he lay his settlement
/ plan before these railroad men who
I had rushed 10 Washington since last
I weeks conference. But the presi-
/ dent insisted that ne wished all of
/ them 20 hear what he had to say.
| The railroad presidents made it clear
| that several of their colleagues
would not reach Washington before
\ late tonight. but the president de-
! clared emphatically that he could
! wait no longer and they agreed to
go TO the white house.
May Force Issue.
The insistence Of the president
upon mediate conference led 20 the
| conclusion that ne had determined
/ to force the issue. Word was
abroad in Washington that the rep
resentatves of the four railway
! brotherhoOds presenting the strike
| demands had become impatient and
that strike orders had already been
drawn and awaited only signatures
! TO be issued. Pressure from the men
for immediate action met with a de-
! termined atmosphere of delay among
| the railroad executives. They de-
| clared they could nor act with any
authority until their attendance was
complete
Even as they started for the white
house the presidents insisted that
so far as they were concerned the
conference would develop nothing.
They declared that they would once
more listen TO the presidents pro-
pOsals and take them under cOnsid-
Grafton. The circumstances of the
call led 10 the report that the presi-
| dent was prepared 10 set a time limit
on the consideration Of the proposal
| by the railroads. but white house Of
! hcials asserted that the conference
was merely to talk things over
and that no drastic move was con-
templated.
VIII Go Slowly.
ne EdllInd0 executives VIII NOT
take definite action until the presi-
dent has again outlined his eight
hour day demand According 10 to-
days plans the executives Will listen
TO the presidents proposal, and take
il under advisement a meeting OF
the entire group Of executives viii
then be held This will probably be
tomorrow afternoon, but 1T may not
be until Wednesday morning At
this meeting the brains of the rail-
road management in this country
will say the final word that may
throw the entire life OF the country
into chaos through the greatest rail-
road strike ever planned
DesultOry conferences throughout
today kept the railroad executives
and their committee OF railroad
managers in a turmoil of heated
discussion. Sharp differences OF
opinion, aggravated by the arrival
Of new executives with fresh ideas
were apparent. A small but inhu-
entail group sought 10 secure a
complete acceptance Of the presi-
dents proposal but they met deter
mined opposition.
Old Guard Prepared.
The "old guard" Of railroad DOM
ination came 20 Washington today
and came prepared 90 night. The "old
guard who fought railroad battles
in the days Of Hartman. the Goulds
and tie older Vanderbilt arrived
with some very clear ideas as 70 their
position. but they were willing %
talk things over" and 20 abide by
the majority decision
Louis W HILL president 81 ths
Great Northern. was the center OF A
chattering group as soon as he
reached the hotel where the rail
road presidents have their headqIar-
tiers he would make no stztCmenr-
+. p Ripley. Santa Fs head. yet-
eran OF the early railroad struggles
Of the west with his 90 years borne
but lightly on his broad shoulders.
Looked over IL ZrO lLSs - railroad