Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-08-29
Trainmen Told to be Ready
If Roads Will Not
Yield
APPEAL TO CONGRESS
Plans Are Mapped Out to Meet serl-
our Situation-President Wilson
Before Congress.

Washington, D. c., August 29--
President Wilson made his final Ell
fort this afternoon to avert the rail-
road strike which has been scheduled
for next Monday morning.
Before joint session of the two
houses of Congress he explained brief
ly the steps he has taken so far TO
bring the railroad executives and the
employees together and he outlined the
legislation he thinks is necessary.
Both sides to the controversy arc
standing firm. The railroad presl-
dents this morning notified Presi-
dent Wilson they could not accept
his compromise plan Of yesterday
afternoon and the representatives
of the employees made it plan again
that the strike order effective on
Monday will not be recalled unless
the demand for an 8-hour day with
ten hours pay is met uncondltlonaiiy
before the time set for a general
strike or unless an S-hour law is
passed by Congress.
The one ray Of hope was state
ment by President Garretson, OF the
conductors, that passage OF an D.
hour law will stop the strike, as the
men will be willing to leave the
question Of punitive overtime to the
commission proposed by the Presl
cent.
Washington, Aug. 29.--The four
brotherhood chiefs and the eXecu-
tive committee of "a representing
100000 railroad workers at a meet
ing this morning rejected the coun'
toy proposal of the executives for
settlement of the railroad disputes.
Presidents of the railroads are ada
mant in their refusal tn put into Ell
feet the plan of an 8-hour day with
lO-hour pay, They are firm in hold
ing out for arbitration.
Representative Of the employees
refuse to arbitrate the 8-hour day
proposition, and will not listen to
any compromise.
Washington, Aug. 29.- President
Wilson's plan for ncw legislation by
which the threatened railway strike
NAV be averted was adopted by the
Senate steering committee yester-
day. Democratic leaders were given
to understand the President expects
to be able to prevent the execution OF
a strike order pending the outcome
of his efforts.
An S-hour day, to be compulsory
on interstate railroads within 81
days after enactment, is the pivot
around which the new legislation
will be constructed.
Before the new program became
generally known the brotherhood
chiefs announced that the date set
for the strike was the morning OF
September 4, which is Labor Day. A
COPY of the strike order was trans
mitted to the White House with an
explanation of the departure Of d
number of the brotherhood chairmen
Disarmed by this request, which
could not be ignored with propriety
the representatives of the executives
returned to their headquarters and is
sued a statement. In substance, the
railway presidents said if, the strike
was to be called on Sept. 4, they
believed they should be allowed to
return to their several headquarters
and prepare for the emergency.
President Wilson was on the way TO
Capitol hill within 10 minutes a1ter
the executives committee left the
White House. He went Immediately
to the Senate office building and the
room used by the steering commit
tee. Senator's Ollie James and Reed
were awaiting him. Other members
of the committee followed. They
were Kern, of Indiana; Martin, OF
Virginia; Chamberlain. of Oregon; ;
Owen, of Oklahoma; o'Gorman, OF
New York; Thomas, of Colorado;
and Williams, of Mississippi.
At the conclusion of the confer