Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-31
Labor Leaders Deny He
Has Asked Them to Wait
Until q Later Date
HOPE FOR PEACE
STILL PREVAILS
Congress Getting Down to
Business In Effort to
Head Off Trouble

Washington, D. c., Aug 30.-With
both sides making last hour prepara'
lions for a great railway strike Mon
hay morning, President Wilson today
burned all the influence Of his admin
)stration toward persuading the broth
prhood leaders to postpone or rescind
their strike order until congress has
had opportunity to act.
There were intimations that should
The labor leaders continue adamant,
President Wilson even might make a
bublic appeal to the railway workers
themselves to direct their leaders to
postpone 1t.
Despite denials Of the labor leaders
that President Wilson or any one else
had asked tholnn~- te-- postpone the
etrike, there were abundant evidences
that such was the case and somehow
there was a feeling in congress, in ad-
ministration circles and in other
places that way would be found to
Svert the walkout No one knew what
It was but the feeling prevailed.
Decline to Change Order.
After conference with Secretary
Wilson at the department of labor, the
brotherhood leaders reiterated that no
power on earth except satisfactory
kettlement would avert the strike and
that they had no power to rescind the
order.
Nevertheless, efforts were continued
30 bring about postponement.
The first legal phase Of the situa'
lion developed with the temporary in.
Junction issued by local court In Ne.
braska restraining the conductors
from calling or enforcing strike on
the Union Pacific. This brought up
for the first time the effect Of the
much discussed Clayton anti-intunc-
non act passed by congress at the be-
hest of labor The brotherhood lead
PRS unreservedly expressed the opin-
Ion that the Injunction was in contra
vention of the law and could not stand
There were limitations that similar
lnjunctions might be issued in differ
ent parts of the country where the
against the strike.
With notices Of freight embargoes
End prospective delays to passenger
traffic pouring in from all parts OF the
country, Chairman Howard Elliott of
The New York, New Haven & Hart
ford railroad issued statement on
behalf Of the railway executives point
ing out that passenger train service as
well as freight would be tied up.
Expecting the Worst.
While every effort was being made
10 prevent the strike, both sides con-
anued to make preparations to meet
K.
The senate interstate commerce
committee also considered law pass
I'd by congress in 1862 authorizing the
president to take possession Of rail.
road and telegraph lines when, in his
Judgment, public safety might require
it. Senators remarked it was an in
teresting statute in the face Of the ex-
listing emergency. The statute passed
in the early part Of the civil war was
designed to be in force only as long as
necessary to meet war conditions.
Besides comforting with Secretary
Wilson today, the brotherhood heads
talked with several members Of con.
gress at the capitol. Brotherhood Of
ficials expected to confer today with
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor. 1t was
said that Mr.. Gompers had made no
attempt to induce the brotherhoods ia
postpone the strike and it was not
thought that he would.