The Mena weekly star., 1916-08-24
BIC BARONS' INTO
 S-HOUR CONTEST
Railroad Presidents Refer the Mat ter of Strike to the Higher -UDs'' -Men Satisfied to Await Result
 of Wilson's Course.

Washington, Aug. 22.-The great est Industrial struggle in the his- tory Of the country hangs in the balance today
 The question of accepting or re- lecting the proposal made by Pres ident Wilson in an effort to avert strike that would tie un the rail- roads has now been passed to the men whose money IS invested i'll the great arteries of national trade.
 As the situation stands this aft ernoon. the employees have put their demands for an eight-h0ur day and time and U half for overtime in the hands of the president. He has put 1t up to the heads of the great systems, and they in turn, have passed It on to the directors. Aft CT an all-nlght session, the select committee of big bar0ns" appointed Dy the two score executives, failed to reach any decision early today. They then wired their directors, and upon a reply from the money pow CTS behind the country's transporta- ton systems largely rests the final result.
 In the meantime the high salaried railroad executives continued to wrestie with the various negotia- tlons. Counting the salaries and ex- penses of the various railroad heads and union officials, the negotiations are costing between S25,000 and S30,- 900 day. 1t is estimated.
 Presidents Divided.
 There is no doubt that division exists among the railroad heads. Against one faction. which favors trading" with the President i'll ac- cepting the eight-hour day principle IS another group violently opposed to any step that would weaken their stand demanding arbitration on all matters
 The railroad heads want to know what may be expected in the way of cooperation from the Interstate Comnerce Commission in case of necessary rate adjustments, and al- so what the President may have in |mind regarding future prevention of a crisis like the present.
 The conference of railway pregi- dents was unique. Men represent ing millions of dollars Of railway wealth moved about the New Will Hard in their shirt sleeves. getting down Go brass tack" on the situa- tion confronting them. It was all informal, the executives talking first 10 one group and then in am other. seeking ideas and opinions There was no apparent effort to organize and agree upon a general plan Of procedure. Representative of the managers committee were present at the conference.
 Men Content to Wait The men apparently are satisfied to have won the Presidents sup port of the eight-hou- day. On other points they may be expected to yield should deadlock be reached on the present negotiations and further efforts be necessary. While there is nothing on the surface to indicate the managers and executives will do other than stand pat for arbitration, there are |deep-seated rumblings around their headquarters today that their coun- cils are divided on the point and that some counter proposition may i1r forthcoming.
 There is no intention of putting the railroads before the good of the country" one official declared
 No one has ever been known to break the Presidents conviction on point. once his mind is made up." another declared.
 The President has peculiar pow CTS, of course and he may be able to force the railroads to knuckie down" a third stated
 All of which is taken to indicates that the position of the railway heads is not one from which they cannot be moved. F