New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-26


TRANSPORTATION would be almost MI, ~
would demonstrate that the employees
arc not TO be tri1ed with this time
Brotherhoods in Ugly Mood.
There is no mistaking the ominous
forebodines in the camp OF the TOUR
brotherhoods further down Pennsyl-
vania Avenue at the old National no
tel. The brotherhood chiefs and dele
gates consider that they have Kept
faith with the President in the cight
DAYS and a hall since they accepted
the Wilson settlement plan. But they
charge openly that the railroads cN-
ecutives have not kept faith. have de-
layed so they might bring public SEN
timent to their support by campaign
of publicity and sn avalanche OF fake
kilograms at the White House.
What caused their visit to the Presi-
dent this morning was the announce
ment of the executives last night that
they would have a new modlhed pro-
posal 10 present to-day. Washington
generally thought that the President
Lad summoned the four brotherhoods
chiefs to sound their sentiment on the
anticipated notifications. The Trlb-
une correspondent learned positively,
however, that the visit was arranged
at the solicitation of Austin b. Carrot
son. Warren s. Stone, ". G. Lee and
W. S. Carter.
Visit to White House.
After the brotherhood chiefs read
their morning papers they called up
the White House and let the President
know that 1t might be an expedlent
thing 10 have a call from them. Mr..
Wilson Immediately invited them TO
come over. The conference OF al
hour and n half was so important that
the Cabinet meeting was delayed for
an hour while the President listened:
Not one Of the four would say word
when they came out of the White
House.
"The situation, as far as we are
concerned" said Mr.. Garretson later,
ais absolutely unchanged. No COM
plete concrete proposition to which the
railroads will agree has been present
ed to us. tell you, absolutely no new
proposition has been submitted to us
except the one that We accepted last
week. Our position is exactly what II
was when we accepted the plan. We
have not deviated from it in any way
whatsoever
Determined to Fight.
One could readily see, though, that
the impotence of the last few days
has turned to a grim determination TO
go through with the fight if the roads
do not come to terms. 1t is almost
smiling willingness to see the battle
lines drawn. The men are confident
that they can win hands down. They
would not mind fighting a bit-that's
what they let the President under
stand. They told him, too, that they
believed that railroads had beclouded
the issue by a nationwide lobby of
telegram senders.
W. G. Lee. president of the Brother
hood of Railway Trainmen, gave out
proof that some Of the railroads in
volved in the controversy had resorted
10 persuasive methods ard eXtraordi-
nary proceedings to deluge the White
House with kilograms urging the Presi-
dent TO submit the whole issue to
arbitration, as the railroads demand.
Mr.. Lee produced a seemingly genuine
copy of telegram he had received
from s. T. Sawdry, secretary treasurer
of one Of the trainmen's lodges in Spo-
kane, Wash, calling Mr.. Lees atten-
tion TO what he charges is happening
on the Hill lines of the Northern
Pacific Railroad:
This telegram reads: "W. G.. Lee,
president Brotherhood Railroad Train
men, Washington.
Messages to Wilson.
Copy Of message following, which
was sent by Superintendent J. l.. de
Rorice TO al agents of the Northern
Pacific RailrC ad:
"It is highly Important to get rain
men question discussed by farmer,
stock raisers, dairymen and merchants.
Please get as many of these classes as
possible in YOUR town and vicinity %
send kilograms rush to President Wit
son, at Washington. urgently REQUEST
ing him to settle the controversy by
arbitration.
kilograms should show business Of
the sender. These kilograms are to be
paid for from station funds and state
ment sent me or voucher your credit.
| want you to send copies of these tele-
grams 20 me by wire soon as trans
mitted 20 the President, using our own
wires for this. Might be well to have
some of the most prominent signerS
send message to their Congressman
and Senators in Washington in addi-
tiOn to those sent TO President Wilson.
This is very important, and must be
given preference over normal business
to-day"
Hill Just Smiles.
The copy Of the telegram was dis
. played to Louis w. Hill, president Of
the Great Northern, tonight. Mr..
Hill read il, smiled and said;
"Well, all | have to say is that this
man may be good superintendent, but
he is a mighty poor diplomat"
al never heard of the sending of any
such messages" was the comment of
G. S. Slade, vice-president of the
Northern Pacific 81 doubt whether
any were sent. OF course, / am here
at Washington and do not know what
is being done at our offices. But
don't know of any such telegraphic
campaign"
The brotherhood leaders, however,
are satisfied that such q campaign is
part Of the waiting game that the rail
road executives have been playing. The
message from Sawdey was not the only
one Mr.. Lee had. There were others
like il. They are stacked high on his
table IN the NatlOndl HOlel, inter
mingled with other kilograms from
union men all over the country Sc
verely critcising the chiefs for delay
ing.
The calm in the employees quarters
following the outbreak of Wednesday
is taken to be only that before the
storm. The radical element among the
delegates, the younger men in the SER
vice, the swtchmen and trainmen, are
clamoring for action. Loud voices rang
out Of the meeting Of the union crowd
after Garretson, Carter, Lee and Stone
carnn hack from the White unnse