Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-08-30


Monday. September 4, is the date
fixed for the strike in the tentative
orders prepared by the railroad bro
therhoods and carried home by the
members of the committee OF $40
when they left Washington yester-
day.
1t was learned to-day that the
brotherhood leaders decided negotia-
tions here must end one way or an
other before Labor Day, and selected
the holiday with view to having
two million or more workers in all
lines OF labor march in great DEM
onstratiOns in favor of the strikers
cause.
Going Before Congress-.
President Wilson tonight def
nitely decided to go before Congress
Tomorrow or Wednesday to recon-
mehd legislation aimed to avoid the
threatened nationwide strike or to
stop it, If it comes before Congress
can act. He worked until late to-
night on his message in which he
VIII tell members Of the Senate and
House the negotiations to date and
lay before them a definite legisla-
tive program.
New Proposal.
The President reached this decis-
ION after conferences at the White
House with the committee of eight
railroad presidents and the four
brotherhood heads, on a new propo-
sal for settlement of differences sug-
gested by the executives, and later
a prolonged discussion Of the situa-
tion at the Capitol with the men,
bers of the Democratic steering COM
nittee Of the Senate.
The proposition Of the railroad
executives was that an Investigation
of all issues be conducted by q COM
| mission to be named by the Presi-
dent, the investigation to last for a
| period OF three or four months, no
action to be taken by either side in
the meantime, and at the conclusion
Of the inquiry the situation to be
what 1T now is, the employees hav-
ing the choice Of either arbitration
or striking.
TO Reply To-day.
The brotherhood heads promised
reply tomorrow morning, and
there was every indication it would
be unfavorable.
When the railroad brotherhood
heads went to the White House to-
night the President not only laid be-
fore them the plan Of the execu-
tives, but strongly urged the with
drawal Of a tentative strike order
sent out yesterday, subject to re-
lease, calling for walkout Of the
10000 brotherhood members at 7
a. m. Labor Day, September 4. This
request was fatty refused, the lead
ers saying only the committee Of
$40, which left Washington yester-
day, had power to recall the order
Copies Of Strike Order.
Copies Of the strike order we're
brought to the Presidents attention
after they had gotten into the pos
session of the railroad executives.
1t had been known that the men,
bers of the commission Of GAO car
| ried home with them a tentative or
der, but no one outside the Brother
hood Councils had suspected that
date had been set, and the Presi-
dent Is said to have been greatly
perturbed by the information. After
the refusal to withdraw the order,
he communicated with the railroad
presidents, who held meeting that
lasted until late in the night.
In spite of the apparent failure of
hAo " tlS TWO sues TO-
gether, the President was reported
tonight as being still hopeful OF
averting strike.
Legislative Program.
The legislative program prepared
for Congress includes the following
measures:
AN eight hour day law for rail-
road employees, so framed as to
give the railroads time to prepare
for 1t, and
A law patterned after the Cana
dian industrial disputes act provid-
ing for Investigation Of industrial
disputes on railroads by a commits
sion, and prohibiting strikes or lock-
outs pending the outcome Of the in
vestigation.
In addition to these measures
there are under consideration a res
olution to increase the revenue Of
the railroads in case the expenses
are increased, and a law creating
authority for the operation Of the
railroads under the Federal govern
ment in event OF strike. The plan
tonight was to have the first two
measures introduced as amendments
to the bill, which has already pass
ed the House. increasing the inter-
state commerce commission from
seven to nine members.
The Strike Order.
The strike order is brief IT Is