Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-26
President Wilson Holds Both
Sides in Balance Pending
Final Outcome.
SITUATION SERIOUS
Federal Board of Mediation
Issues Significant State
ment.

Washington. Aug. 26.-With ne
gOtiati0ns for averting the threat
ened railway strike practically Mt
a deadlock, President Wilson to-
day suddenly went TO the capitol
and conferred with administration
leaders over the possibility OF
legislation.
The president conferred first with
Democratic Leader Kern and Chair
man Newlands of the senate commerce
committee, who, it was understood,
after a canvass of the congressional
situation, had concluded 1t was feas-
ible to get through congress before
adjournment as an amendment to the
pending bill to increase the member
ship of the interstate commerce COM
mission some sort Of an expression
that the railways should be authorized
to make rate increases to meet higher
wages and to provide some sort of ma
chinery for arbitration for similar dis
putes in the future, possibly along the
lines of the Canadian commission.
Just before the president went to the
capitol the brotherhood leaders, impa-
tient at the delay of the railroad exec
utives in replying to the presidents
last proposal. declared that only the
unqualified concessions on the eight
hour day or some action by congress
to cause the government to operate the
railroads could prevent the threatened
strike. - +<=' ~r--7--
On all hands the presidents visit to
the capitol was taken as indicating that
the situation had reached crisis.
Among the railway executives II was
said that any plan for legislation sug-
gested by the president would have to
be considered. but that the inclination
of IIyau heads xuaa n c+aud col
idly on their demand of arbitration of
the present dispute.
Railroad Attitude Unchanged.
Late this afternoon the railroad ex-
ecutives adjourned without having fin
ished their statement TO President Will
son and their attitude was announced
as unchanged.
Later, it was learned at the capitol
that the president told the senator's
the railroad executives had put 1t up
to him" to get some guarantee from
congress that they would be permitted
to get more revenue to meet the in
crease in wages 1t was said no
means of accomplishing that end was
agreed upon.
The executives have been told that
the mems leaders expect to have diff
night. The proposal OF the presi-
dents, as has been outlined unoffi-
cially, declines to concede the eight
hour day without arbitration and In
vestigation of its application to rail-
reading, but makes some concessions
as to collateral issues. The effect of
this proposal will be to pass the Is
sue back to the brotherhoods.
Some of the railway executives say
their proposition is positively their
last; some Of the mems leaders stand
firmly against arbitration. Others on
both sides have hopes that out OF 1t
will come further negotiations, delay
ing a strike and possibly averting 1t.
A statement issued by the federal
board of mediation today on the settle
ments il had conducted was regarded
as significant. It described a report
about to be made to the senate which
will disclose that in every case of set
Elements conducted under the old Erd-
man act or the later Newlands law
substantial advantages have been won
by the employees through arbitration.
The only instance recorded where the
men did not benefit was a settlement
made without the participation of the
federal mediators.
Situation Serious, But Hopeful.
President Wilson regards the situa-
n,