Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-17

Nenet g be there today and Immediately
hFraneed % come direct 70 washington
TO LEAVE NEW YORK
Among those who viii leave from New
York are r. l.. Lovett, Union Pacific
Julius Kruttchnitt Southern Pacific; Hale
Holden, Burlington W. w Atterbury. vice
president OF the Pennsylvania W. ], Har-
ahan. seahoerd Air Line; Daniel willard.
Baltimore and Ohio; A. II Smith, New
York Central F. d. Underwood, Erie; Will
llafn Truesdaie. Laokawanna. w. J. Pier
son, vice president Of the New Haven !;
G. w. stevens. Chesapeake and Ohio and
2 r. Bueh, receiver Of the Missouri Pa
cinc
oflciais OF the Administration declared
that they believed the President intended
insisting on the railway presidents making
concessions which 90 far the committee Of
managers has refused to consider
Tho President, II was reported, has been
greatly dissatisfied with the attitude Of the
managers, who have refused TO make any
concessions TO aid him In his efforts TO bring
about settlement Of the strike Their
attitude II was stated by white House of
foials, has been that their present revenues
made II impossible for them to grant the
demands Of the men and that, therefore, they
would not do 30. Even when the President
asked them to grant the eight-hour workday
for limited period during which It would
be possible to tell how II worked out and
how expensive II would prove. they refused.
EXECUTIVES SUMMONED
In addition to President willard. copies
Of the telegram were sent to the following
other railroad executives;
Samuel Rea Pennsylvania; A. II. Smith,
New York Central and Hudson River f. d.
Underwood, Erie; William II. Truesdale,
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western How
ard Elliott New Haven Hale Holden,
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy; w. J.
Harahan, seaboard Air Line: l.. f. Loree.
Delaware and Hudson b. f. Bush receiver.
Missouri Pacific; Il. E. Calvin. Union Pa
cfc; William S. Sproule Southern Pacific
George w. Stevens, Chesapeake and Ohio
Samuel L. FELTON,, Chicago and Great West
ern, and Fairfax Harrison Southern.
ern; Fairfax Harrison, southern; Il. c.
Ripley. Santa Fe r. H. Ashton, Chicago
and Northwestern A. J. Eafling Chicago.
Milwaukee and st. Paul
When word reached the brotherhood rep
resentatives that the President had called
for the railway executives they seemed
much relieved. President w. u. Lee, of
the Brotherhood Of Railway Trainmen said
It would at least defer break.
TRArNMEN RELIEVED.
1--WE have been convinced all along, SAID
Lee, that IL the railroad managers were
permitted TO maintain their present position
and to be allowed to refuse all compro-
mses that n break would have TO come.
We have been authorized to declare strike.
but have held back trying to find way
out. We offered concessions. but at no
time have the railway managers even !ndl-
Gated a willingness to do anything Maybe
the President yet will be able to settle
all questions satisfactorily"
II is understood that majority OF the
members OF the brotherhood's committee Is
willing, If II Is the best that can be OBJ
tained, to accept the eight-hour work day
on the basis Of the present 10-hour days
pay waiving the overt mo proposition to be
settled in some manner yet to be worked
out. This is the question that will be put
to them by the President this afternoon
together with his plan of what both sides
should do to make the system operative.
The railway managers plainly were very
seriously concerned over the action of the
President in sending for the heads of the
various railway systems to come to Wash
ington. The peremptory tone Of the tele-
gram calling the chiefs here caused much
bitter comment. and privately some of the
members declared that IL bore out their
views that there was politics in the en-
tire situation, 1t was clear the President
had been so offended over the attitude of
the managers, and especially over the sta
tistcs that they filed at the White House
in his absence last night. that he was de-
termned to ignore them in all future nego-
tiations.
Following the admission that the rail-
way presidents had been called. n feeling
was noticeable In official quarters that |
tho eventual basis for settlement will be |
the eight-hour day at present rates OF |
wages. with collateral issues to be worked |
out through plan of arbitration-prob- |
ably. however not under that name
especially laying stress on how the short |
workday Is to be enforced 80 that the roads |
will not violate II nor the men take ad- |
vantage OF It, Brotherhood leaders quietly |
admitted they were convinced that IL the |
President makes the same strong argument |
to the entire committee that he has to /
those who already have conferred with him
he will swing the majority into line for
his plan.
RAILROADS CONVENTIONS.
1t was learned that among the documents
filed with the President late yesterday after
noon by Elisha Lee, chairman of the man
ayers committee, was a blunt statement
that the railroads could not accept any plan
that does not carry with 1t their suggestion
OF an independent wage commission whether
named by the President or by agreement.
The position of the railroads is as follows:
''The question of wages enters into all OF
the negotiations with the Interstate Com
merce Commission for authority to increase
rates, At all times our figures have been
subject TO contradiction by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. II these figures
are verified by = Federal commission. then
there can be no question about them and
they will have a vital factor In determining
costs. etc In addition, It would be lmpos-
sible for the railroads to reconcile differ
ences with their men In putting an eight
hour workday in effect, but a commission
or the character now proposed would be
able to define rules which could be carried
out without friction"