Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-08-19
Railroad Men Hold Wilson's
Plan is lmpracti-
cable
APPARENT DEADLOCK
Counter Proposals From Executives
of Railways Considered to be Prob
able

Washington, Aug. 10 Presiden
Wilson still has great deal to 90
he is to prevent national rallroa'
strike.
That was the situation as the 3
railway presidents prepared 70 g
for another conference at the Whlt'
House at 1870 o'clock.
They hadn't slept lot, most o
them ..aving been engaged in con
ferences of their own up to a iate
hour last night.
The upshot of their conferences
was not to accept the President
proposal for settlement OF the con
troversy with the employees. Ihey
are prepared to hold out for aroltra-
ton, they said.
Washington, Aug. 19-Presideht
Wilson'S plan for settlement OF the
threatened nationwide railroad strike
was accepted yesterday by the rep,
resentatives of the employees ana
taken under consideration by the or
fcials of the roads, with many IN
d;cations that they would reject 1t
tomorrow. The word came from the
managers last night, however, that
they had reached no definite decision
With the situation thus apparentl!
at q deadlock, the only hope lay IL
reports that the railroad officials
might present a counter-proposal
forming a basis of settlement, OF
that one side or the other might re-
ceds from it's present position.
Thirty-one presidents and ranking
officials of the great railroads receiV
cd from the President yesterday al
ternoon his plan for the adoption OF
an eight-hour day, regular Pre- rats
nav for overtime and creation OF 8
Federal commission to investigate
collateral issues: They told him they
would like to consider the question
and would report hack tomorrow with
the committee of managers which
has been conducting negotiations.
At the same time the general com
mittee of $40 representatives of th'
,employes were approving the Presi
dents plan by large majority, ant
soon after the railroad officials ief
the White House the four heads o
the railroad brotherhoods delivered
to the President a letter notifying hin
of the vote. The employees commit
tee will remain here at the Presl
dents call.
While the railroad officials woul
make no formal statement, they re
vealed clearly their opposition to Nh
Wilson'S plan and indicated that the,
-aould press further their offer to ar
bitrate all the points at: issue.
In spite of these. developments, j
was reported the officials might sug
gest a counter-proposal based on tn
accordance of the eight honr da
and arbitration of all other points
instead of the investigation by
Federal commission proposed unde
the Presidents PLAN 1t was. state
positively, however, that the official
had reached no definite decision O
their future course.
In case the President finds no hop
of settlement during his conferenc
with the railroad officials. tomorro"
he probably will summon to Wash
inpton some of the powerful finan
ciers of the country serving as dl
rectors of the railroads, Administra
ton officials said tonight he ha
by no means given up hope OF ef
fecting a settlement and was dete.
mined. that it should be reacned,
possible, before the representative
of both sides now here leave Washing
ton.
In their informal statements til
railroad officials insisted on arbitra
ton on the grouEd that if they CAV
in this time it would mean the absr
donment of the principles of arbitrs
tion, and they feared if they granite
the s-hour day with its consequer
added expenses, without resort to a
::r;ati n, it would prejudice any az
psal they might make later to tt