The Washington herald., 1916-08-21
WILSON STANDS FIRM
ON EIGHT-HOUR DAY
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

Road Executives Bewfldered.
The direct effect Of this strategic move
from the White House was somewhat be-
wildering to the railway executives. They
nave heard from leaders of the brother
moods and Congressional sources that as
a last resort the President will appeal
TO Congress for temporary Federal re-
ceiverships.
According to several members of Con-
gress such move may possibly be the
only means of preventing ue-up of
railway traffic that would be most dis
Iastrous to the country. Some believe 1t
means the beginning of government con-
troll over all the great trunk lines.
In discussing the situation Senator
Marcus A. Smith, of Arizona, a Demo
| crat. and a member of the Senate Com
mittee on Railroads, said:
| Il am unalterably opposed to govern
ment control of railroads. but strike
might result in something worse. I do
not construe the attitude attributed to
the President by the published reports
! OF the conference as a threat of perma-
nent control.
Federal Receivership Possible.
My own analysis of the Presidents
| plan in the event the railroad officials
refuse to heed his suggestions is that he
Will ask for temporary receiverships. In
this way the government could operate
the railroads on an eiglIt-hour DAY basis
pending a settlement OF the controversy
between the employees and the employ
! crs"
Senator Smith took the precaution to
| remark that he had not discussed the
| matter with President Wilson. 1t is rea-
sonably certain, however. that all men,
| bers of the important railroad commit
tee are being kept informed Of the details
| OF the conference.
1t is said that II the President fnds
| the railway executives unwilling to
yield the following tentative plan may
be followed:
l. A notification to the railroads OF
his intention to have the government
operate the lines II strike is called.
?. The retention IN the railway serv-
ice of the members of the brotherhoods
after removing the present executives
The roads will be in the hands OF
temporary receiver. with the govern
| ment acting as receiver.
3. The subordinate management of
the railroads will be retained. and no
changes will be made affecting either
| employees or operating schedules, ex-
Cept s should be proved necessary
after a fair trial under government d.
| rection.
4. The appointment OF a disinterest
ed government commission to deter
mine what additional increase in
freight rates. II any. should be recon-
mended to the Interstate Commerce
Commission to offset the increased ex-
pense.
Relax Tension SUNDAY.
The executives and managers held sep
arate meetings yesterday morning. con-
tInuing until 1:3o. but all dispersed in the
afternoon, most OF those remaining in
Washington over Sunday taking auto
mobile trips in the afternoon.
The railroad executives will see Presi-
dent Wilson again tomorrow. Between
30 and 100 will be in the party.
Louis w. Hill, representing the great
Hill roads, was expected to arrive in
Washington at 1:25 o'clock this morning.
f. P. Ripley OF the Santa Fe. who was
quoted as saying he would not come, also
will arrive today
1t is expected that before the executives
see President Wilson again they will have
agreed upon a counter suggestion for the
solution OF differences
President Wilson will be asked by the
railroad executives for specific details, il
is declared. concerning his assurance to
them that they will be compensated by
increased freight rates for any undue
burden an eight-hour day as a basis for
computing the employees pay may i'm
pose. 1t was declared by one railroad
chief that an increase of per cent in
freight rates would be necessary to make
good any such assurance.
The suggestion that the banking inter
ests which finance the railroads might
reverse the managers and executives II
called here by President Wilson was not
treated seriously. One OF the chief voices
n ha pf ha
said last night:
The freight earnings last year were
n bout s. 900 o00, 900. and to grant the broth
erhoods their demands would nccessitate
that the roads be permitted to increase
freight rates for all parts of the country.
Largely Matter of Name.
Payment for work done in train serv-
ice has been for many years on a COM
pound schedule involving the length of
the run and the time consumed. It is i'm
material whether as a matter OF nomen-
Clature this basis of time is spoken as ten
hours or be spoken as eight hours. II the
contingent relations he adjusted accord
ingIy.
IF the men want the name of the
thing changed without changing the
amount OF their compensation we would
seem TO be disputing about mere words
If the men want their compensation
raised and are using mere words as means
of accomplishing it. then they are seek
ing to secure payment for descriptive lam
guage. and not for work done.
Il don't see how President Wilson can
torture that into demand of social justice
when the conditions are in no sense
changed.
The conference committee reported
that the effect OF the mems proposals
would be to increase the pay rolls about
sl0OOOo,OoO and increase the pay of the
men about 80 per cent.
The effect of President Wilson's sug-
gestion works out practically as
straight eight-hour day in yard work
and a pro rata overtime in road service.
The effect of this would be an increase
IN the pay ROLLS of about s5O,0c0.OOO and
of about % per cent in the individual
wage"
The railroads are preparing to make an
appeal to the public in support of arbi-
tration. Their attitude is that the rail-
way employees themselves have been
strong advocates of arbitration in the
past, and that their refusal to submit
to arbitration now is indefensible.