The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-09-01
STRIKE ORDERS
TO TRA|NMEN.
Brotherhood Chairmen Prepare
for Action.
FIRM ON THE s-HOUR DAY
Executives, Awaiting Conference With
Wilson, Confident That Strike,
If Called, VIII Not Last
Long.
FIRM ON THE s-HouR DAY

Washington.-The GAO chairmen Of
the railway brotherhoods, who were
called to Washington by President
Wilson in the hope of averting a
strike, held meeting in the Bijou
Theatre Sunday and resolved to go
home Sealed instructions, known as
-'strike ORDERS" were issued to each OF
them, telling them what to do in case
a strike is declared.
Unless the railroad heads recede
from their demand for arbitration OF
the eight-hour day proposal, one
brotherhood head said. Q strike affect
ing about 100000 men will be called
Within the next 10 days.
subcommittee, consisting of about
30 men, was appointed, with full power
TO effect settlement If such thing
IS still possible The committee was
specifically instructed, however, that It
has no power to accept terms of set
Element that provide for arbitration OF
the question of an eight-hour day with
10 hours pay.
A. B. Garretson, w. G. Lee, w. S..
Stone and W. L. Carter, the chiefs OF
the four big brotherhoods, are mem
bers Of this committee.
Strike Unavoidable, Many Say.
Immediately after the meeting all of
che chairmen who had not been made
members of the committee began pack
ing up and preparing to go home. Fully
half of them had left town at an early
hour this evening.
Tentative plans for a joint session
of the Senate and House to hear Presi-
dent Wilson ask for legislation to pre-
vent the threatened nationwide rail-
road strike were discussed by the
President with Senator Kern. Posi-;
bilities of legislation were talked over
by the President with Senator New
lands, chairman of the Interstate Com
merce Committee, and Secretary Lane
during the day, and the President
made quiet trip to the Senate Office
building to find Senator Kern attend
ing meeting of the Finance Commit
tee.
Whether the plans considered by
President Wilson and his advisers at
the Capitol will be carried out depends
upon developments, but it is under
stood that il all efforts fail to bring
the employers and their men together
the President will go before Congress
and ask that it deal with the situation,
even if that necessitates indefinitely
prolonging the present session.
Representatives of both the railways
and the brotherhood will confer again
with the President. The executives
of the lines will present the plan to
which they agreed finally Saturday.
It's outstanding feature is a demand for
arbitration of wages under the eight
hour day or any day. When they have
departed the brotherhood heads, acting
under instructions received from the
committee of $40, will go to the White
Z House and apprise President Wilson
that they cannot accept arbitration of
this feature of their demands. and that
In general they stand on his proposal,
made week ago, to concede the eight
hour principle and arbitrate the other
issues.
What will follow no one attempts to
forecast accurately. There was a re-
port, however, that the President might
ask the men to postpone action for a
period in order that he might seek
legislation which would force and pro-
vide for settlement without tying up
the country's transportation systems.