The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-08-23
CONFER WITH WILSON
LATELASI NIGHT
And Will See Him Again To-
Men Reply to State
ment of Mr.. Lee.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 92-Eight
presidents OF important railway SES-
TENS who have been designated TO
draft the railroads reply to President
Wilson'S appeal that they accept MS
plan for ayerting Il nationwide strike
were in almost continuous session TO-
day and tonight without solving their
problem.
Late tonight three Of the commit
teemea. Hale Holden OF the 1urI!nG-
ION, +. s. Lovett. Of the Union PACING.
and Daniel Willard OF the Baltimore x
Ohio discussed the situation with
President Wilson. The were al the
= White House for more than an hour
and on leaving declined 10 talk about
their visit. further than 10 say they
had asked for the conference 20 dis
= cuSs the general situation and eX-
pecred to see the President again.
1t is understood that the chief oo-
iect OF the visit to the White House
was to ask the President TO state Spe'
officially how he expected the rallroadS
to make up the millions or uolEtrS
which the arrangements say Il VIII
cost them 10 put into effect ths elSht
hour basic day they are asked TO
grant. What the President said in re-
Dlv none Of tAe committeeman would
reveal. Heretofore. according TO the
railroad men. Mr. Wilson has dealt
with this phase OF the subject Only III
,he most general terms
Although some Of the SiXt% Or more
Presidents are showing dlSpoSltlon
to.prolong the negotiation in the hope
ina, the sentiment Of business men or
n. counJrr will be shown To be Op-
posed 70 the idea Of an eight hour DAY
thpr, was general feeling ton!ght
that definite answer TO president
Wilson'S demand cannot be much
longer postponed. The President is
understood to have indicated that M
desired his proposals 70 be fully de
hated BY the executives. but their con-
fcrepceS among themselves haEe
failed so far TO develop any concrete
plan likely TO win approval.
So far as the Presidents would dis.
cuss .he situation tonight they still!
are inSiStent upon an arbitration OF
the eight hour day and all other lSSue3
with the EMPLOYEES. As the confer.
ences continued there was less talk OF
action which would lead TO l strike,
hut some of the executives are eS'
pec,ed 70 fight TO the last ditch any
plan which wouldv force An eight hour
Gav upoa the roads. without some
form Of arbitration.
No Plan DEVELOPED.
X is understood the White House
conference tonight did not develop
any actual plan but that the three exc
cutives wished 70 get President VIII
sons views on various phases ol ;nr
matter so that they could be outlined
70 the rest OF the committee tomor-
row. The executives are said 20 rea-
tze that Mr. Wilson cannot receIe
from the position he has publicly tah-
an and some OF them are convinced
now that about all they can hope Tor
is TO come out wiki some concessions.
Among the more than 6tO represen-
tatiyes OF the railroad brotherhood :
in Washington there was evident TO-
day a feeling of restlcSsneSS and there
were many inquiries OF leaders as how
long they must remain. Il is not ~
pected that this feeling will lead 10
anv open revolt unless the conferences
between President Wilson and the exc
cutives are proloneed. Some OF the
leaders told inquiries that they would
not have 10 stay in Washington more
than forty eight hours.
The railroad executives who are
counting upon winning the President
10 their position in the negotiations
sav that rhe case after all is 10 be de-
cided by public opinion and that this
will be found 10 support arbitration
and condemn the eight hour day. They
made public tonight several kilograms
from commercial organizations thro-