The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-08-26

This news Quoted the insurgents for
a time, but today when no answer
came, the instruction broke out
anew Then the brotherhood heads
believing the situation almost hope
less, communicated with the Presl'
dent their desire TO see him;
Not Square Deal"
Upon reaching the White House
they informed the president frankly
that the men did not believe the rail-
road heads were giving them square
deal" They pointed 10 the long de-
lays that have ensued since the ar
rival of the committee of $40 from
New York, a week ago, and then, as
a climax TO their arguments. produced
numerous so-called back fire" tele-
grams which. they averred. railroad
heads were sending out urging their
agents to have citizens wire the preSl-
dent ut the railroads expense urging
bin 10 stand firm for arbitration Of
the differences. Their ultimatum fol
lowed.
The president is said TO have re-
Piled that he knew Of the kilograms,
mad to have been plainly displeased.
me possibility OF strike was dis
cussed, it is understood and the men
left the White House greatly pleased
with their reception. but extremely
pessimistic over the outlook.
Further than declaring the situation
was unchanged and that they had re-
ceived no concrete proposal from the
railroads, the brotherhood heads had
nothing to say after leaving the White
House. They returned 10 the en-
ployes' hall where the men still were
in session and delivered to them some
sort of a message which has been Kept
secret. Adjournment until 10 o'clock
tomorrow morning then was taken
quickly.
The men left the hall hurriedly in
little groups and all Of them declined
to discuss any phase of the situation.
One or two of them minated that
they had been given no details as to
the negotiations at the White House,
but they would go no further. AT
their hotels they no longer stood in
groups about the Hobbies and hints
we're dropped guardedly that they
would not have use for their reserVa-
tons after tomorrow night.
Copies of kilograms.
W. G.. Lee, head of the trainmen' S
brotherhood, gave out carbon copies
of one of the so-called back fire" tele-
grams which had been forwarded here
from a brotherhood member in Spo-
kane. 1t was signed with the name of
a Northern Pacific superintendent and
addressed to one of the roads agents.
Besides urging the agent to have citi-
zens telegraph the president in favor
of arbitration the message said the
cost of the kilograms should be taken
from the station money and charged
to the railroads accounts.
Later A. B. GarretSon produced a
telegram from one of the brotherhood
men in Grand Forks, \. D., which he
said declared a Great Northern agent
there had received instructions not
only to obtain back fire" messages,
ers that arbitration not only would
mean defeat of a strike. but also pre-
vent an increase in freight rates.
One of the leaders said tonight that
in the event of Il strike being called
crews hauling trains with supplies
for soldiers on the Mexican border, a
limited number Of passenger and eX-
press trains and, possibly some milk
trains, would be permitted TO continue
work
The railroad presidents and mana
gers held two conferences during the
day and continued their sessions un-
til late tonight, working on state
ment to the president setting forth
their position on the proposal that
they grant an S hour day with pay at
the rate now given for ten hour ba-
sic day II was understood that the
tentative draft Of this communication
sets forth that the railroads agree to
the hour day principle but believe
that the pay for such a day should be
made the subject of arbitration.
The railroad heads insist. as they
have from the beginning Of negotia-
tions that it is increased pay and not
Il shorter work day that the employees
really desire. To grant them the
shorter basic day at the present pay.
it is commended, would mean an addi-
tional expenditure of S52.000,000.
Reply Unsatisfactory
Representatives of the men indicat-
cd tonight that such reply would be
Ii has been we'll known since the
presidents came here that many Of
them would welcome a strike. Some
Of them have pointed out that In their
opinion that submissions In the pres
ent crisis would weaken discipline on
their lines and that it would only be a
short time until the trainmen's de-
n,aDdc are fo1lOwed nv similar OneS