Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-22

Their answer, it appeared, was to b,
the final answer to President Wilson I
proposal and personal appeal for pre-
vention of the most paralyzing trans
portation tieup in the history of tn,
nation. They were to meet one way OF
the other. the president IS declaration
that the country's industrial tutur,
rested in their hands.
In a secret conference at the Metro
poiitan club last night small number
of the "big barons" of the railroaC
world, representing 100000 miles OF
track and $2,000,000,O0o of capital, de
termined on a course OF action. They
were to place it before their fellow
executives for ratification at confer
ence this morning. Opinion prevails
that peaceful adjustment of tht
threatened commerce crisis would be
effected.
The roads are dying hard, however
They will not yield, it was declared to-
day, unless they can trade with the
president and gain some offsetting adj
vantages, some "adequate compensa
ton" for accepting what they regard
as "a revolutionary change in the
eight hour day. But the very fact that
many Of the small road chiefs, as well
as number of the foremost railroad
executives have reached the stage
where they are willing to talk
Grades" indicates the president mas
stirred up what he termed "the i'm
mobile opinion Of railroad powers.
Manufactured Backing
II is known that the b. and o. and
the Southern Railway executives are
ready to make concessions and prsi-
dent Hale Holden of the Burlington, in
whose hands Louis w. Hill has placed
power for negotiating for the Hill
lines, is opposed to unequivocally re-
jecting the president s proposal.
On the other hand, early this morn
ing the Pennsylvania and the New
York Central were holding out against
yielding the point of arbitration. A
majority Of the great systems appeared
to be with them.
Throughout the night kilograms kept
pouring into the headquarters of the
executives and managers-appeals from
merchants and manufacturing organiza-
tions in all the big cities of the coun-
try-ur2ing the chiefs to stand pat on
arbitration.
Out of today's situation belief grows
that the roads will yield in the end.
1t developed today that the inside
committee of the big railroad heads
who met most of last night, were get
ting in direct touch as fast as posi-
BILE today with their important direct
ors. They expected 10 be able TO re-
port tonight or early tomorrow morn
ing TO the president on their conculs-
ions regarding his plan.
President Wilson held himself in
readiness to meet them as soon as tney
were ready, and it was said he had in
dicated he has no plan at present 9th
er than that OH which he has steadily
insisted.
These Will Decide II
President Holden announced the
committee of so-caled "big barons =
included himself, W. Atterbury, Penn
sylvania; Fairfax Harrison, Southern
Railway; X. S. Lovett, Union Pacific;
f.. =. Ripley. Santa Fe; A. II. Smith,
New York Central Frank Trumbull,
G. and o.; and Daniel Willard, B. and
o. He issued the following statements:
"The committee is in continuous
session, considering the situation, but
no conclusion has yet been reached
''There will be no striSe,' said one
railroader today. Officially, he had