The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-08-24
DAY
ONLY PLAN TO
AVERT STRIKE
Conviction Forcing Itself Upon In
tereSted Parties
MORE CONFERENCES BEING HELD
Railroads Executives Searching for
Plan to Put Eight-Hour Day Into
Effect.

washington, Aug. 24.-ln another
effort to aid the presidents of the coun-
try's railroads to find some way in
which to accept an eight-hour day for
their trainmen to avert the threatened
strike. President Wilson last night
conferred for / IL hours with Presi-
dents Hale Holden of the Burlington,
Daniel Willard of the Baltimore and
Ohio, and X. S. Lovett of the Union
Pacific.
Neither White House officials nor
the presidents would discuss the con
ference. 1t was said on authority,
however, that the three executives
went to the White House to receive an
answer to the suggestion they made
to Mr.. Wilson Tuesday night, that he
give them more specific information
as to know the railroads may get the
additional revenue necessary to take
care of the greater payrolls that will
come with the eight.hour day.
1t became evident last night that
most of the railroads executives have
come to believe that there can be only
one way of preventing strike, and
that Is by accepting the eight-hour
plan. The chief effort in their own
conferences yesterday was to find
some scheme by which an eight-hour
day may be put in operation on all
the railroads at the least added ex-
pense. Many suggestions along this
line have been made by the president.
but not one of them has proved feas.
.ble when submitted to the acid test
OF operating officials.
At the conclusion of their confer.
ence last night with the presidents
and managers, Hale Holden, president
OF the Burlington and a member of
the committee of eight gave out the
following statement:
The railway executives who have
met her at the request of President
Wilson are proceeding as rapidly as
practicable with their work. 1t must
be understood, however, the problem
with which ,nese men are wrestling Is
the most important and gigantic ever
presented TO any body of men in the
industrial history of the country.
They cannot, therefore, consistent
ly with their duty to their security
holders, their employees or the public
reach final conclusion regarding
what action they should take without
much discussion, study and thought
These deliberations, participated IN
by practically 100 men suddenly
called together from all parts OF the
United States, require time.
III our deliberations seem to pro
ceed slowly 1t is due to the facts that
! have mentioned. For us to a hasti
ly would be a betrayal of the great re
spensibility We owe to all the pgr..c:
concerned, and. most OF all, to the
public
As the conference continued yestel
day It became more evident that thc
principal difficulty of the situation 1,
to work out plan of action accept
able to all the railroads.
1t is well understood that most o.
the executives now arc coay.nced thal
the eight.hour day in some form mus
be conceded and that they cannot ex
pect President Wilson to recede from
the position he has publicly taken
Their efforts were directed yesterda!
to the discovery of solution of IN,
complicated questions of operation un
der an eight-hour day and II was sal,
last night on the authority of many o
them that no practical plan had beer
developed