Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-30
ASKS AID OF CONGRESS
IN SOLVING PROB EM
President Wilson Lays Before Country's Lawmakers
Every Detail of Difficulty Which Now Threatens
to Bring Strike on Great Railway Systems

tiCc was done the railroads in the out
come / felt warranted in assuring
them that no obstacle Of law would be
suffered to stand in the way of their
increasing their revenues to meet the
expenses resulting from the change, so
far as the development Of their business
and Of their administrative efficiency
did not prove adequate to meet them.
The public and the rcprcsentatives-o
the public. ! felt justified In assur-
ing them. were disposed 10 nothing but
justice in such cases. and were willing
I" serve those who served them.
The representatives Of the brother
hoods accepted the plan: but the rep
resentativeS Of the railroads declind to
accept IT. In the face of what cannot
hut regard as tho practical certainty
that they viii he ultimately Obliged to
accept the ei.ht-houi day BY the con
certcd action of organized labor.
backed by the favorable Judgment OF
society. the representatives Of the rail-
way management have felt justified in
declining peaceful settlement which
would engage all the forces Of JUS
'ice. publS and private. on their side
I" take care OF the event
They fear the hostile influence OF
shippers. who would be opposed to an
Increase az freight rates for which,
however. Of course. the public itself
would pay; they apparently feel no
confidence that tho Interstate Com
ncrce Commission could withstand the
objections that would be made They
u" MOI care 10 rely upon the friendly
assurances OF Congress or the Presi-
dent They have thought II hest That
they should be forced to yield. II they
must Yield not by counsel. bu, by the
suffering of the country
EMPLOYEES ACT SUDDENLY,
AND FIN DATE For STRIKE
While my conferences with them
were in progress, and when TO al! OUT
ward appearance those conferences had
come Tn standStill. the representa-
tivcs of the brothcrhoods suddenly
acted and set the strike for the Ith Of
september.
Tn" railway managers based their
decision TO reject my counsel in this
matter upon their conviction that they
must at any cost To themselves or to
the country stand firm for the prin-
ciple OF arbitration which the men had
rejected based my counsel upon the
iudlsputablc fac, mat there was no
means az obtainms arbitration. The
Iaw supplied nuu.: earnest efforts at
mediation had tailed To Influence the
men In the least
TO stand fiym FOR the principle OF
arbitration and Yet no, get arbitration
scemcI to IN" futile and something
more than futile. because 1t involved
incalculable distress TO the country and
consequences ia some respects worse
than those OF war, and tina, in the
midst OF peace.
Il yield to no man in firm adherence.
nf
the priIc!Dlc Of arbitration in indus
trial disputes. but matters have come
10 sudden crisis in this particular
dispute. ana the country had been
caught uuprovidcd with any practica bic
means OF enforcing that conviction in
now stop 10 inquired. \ situation had
|" b" met whose elements and fixed
conditions were iud!sputable
The practical and patriotic course
10 pursu" as il seemed 10 me- was to
secure Immediate peace By conceding
the one thing in the demands OF the
men which society itself and any ar
bitrators who represented public SEN
t'nent were most likely TO approve.
and Immediately lay the foundations
Tor securing arbitration with regard
!" everything else involved The event
mas confirmed that Judgment
HOPED ro COMPOSE PRESENT
AS Ft'rlRE SAFEGUARD
Was Seehins 10 compose the pres
cht III order - safeguard the future:
Tor wished an atmosphere OF peace
an" friendly cooperation in which 10
'hhc counsel with the representatives.
OF the nation with regard TO the hes,
means Tor pr"J'iinG, so far as Il might
prove possible to provide against the
recurrence OF such unhappy situations
~ IN" future. the lest and most prac-
t!SapI" means Of securing calm and
tair arbitration OF all industrial dis
putcS IN the days to come. This is
assuredly the best way Of vindicatinc
a principle. na nelly, having failed to
make certain OF it's observance i'm The
present, 10 make certain OF it's OBJ
scrvancc In the future.
"But could only propose. could
not govern the will OF others who took
An entirely different view of the cir
'cums,auces OF the case who even rs-