Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-08-31
WILSON MAKING
EFFORT TO DELAY
RAILWAY STRIKE
President Attempting to Post.
pone Suspension Until Con.
gress Can Consider
Issue.
BRoTHERHooDS SAY NO
Officials Insist That Only a
Settlement Can Prevent the
Men Striking Monday.
SEE SECRETARY WILSON
SEE SECRETARY WILSON

Washington, Aug. 3U.-With both
sides making last hour preparations
for great railroad strike Monday
morning, President Wilson today
turned all the influence Of his admin
istration toward persuading the
brotherhood leaders to postpone or
rescind their strike order until con-
grcss has had an opportunity to act.
There were intimations that should
the labor leaders continue firm, Presi-
dent Wilson even might make public
appeal to the railway workers them
selves to direct their leaders to post
pone it,
Despite denials of the labor leaders
that President Wilson or anyone else
had asked them TO postpone tho
strike, there were abundant evidences
that such was the case, and somehow
there was a feeling in congress, in ad-
ministration circles and in other
places that way would be found to
avert the walkout. No one knew
what it was, but the feeling prevailed.
After conference with Secretary
Wilson at the Department OF Labor,
the brotherhood leaders reiterated
that no other power on earth except
satisfactory settlement would avert
the strike, and that they had no power
TO rescind the order. Nevertheless,
efforts we're continued to bring about
postponement.
Omaha Injunction Discussed.
| The first legal phase of the situa-
ton developed with the temporary in
junction issued by local court in Ne
braska restraining the conductors
from calling or enforcing a strike on
the Union Pacific. This brought up
for the first time the effect Of the
much discussed Clayton anti-injune-
tion act passed by congress at the be-
hest Of labor. The brotherhood lead
ers unreservedly expressed the
opinion that the injunction was con-
travention Of the law and could not
stand, There were intimations that
similar injunctions might be sued out
in different parts OF the country where
| the sentiment OF the men is known
10 be against the strike.
| While effort was being made to
prevent the strike, both sides con-
tlnued to make preparations to meet
| it.
The senate interstate commerce
committee also considered a law pass
ed by congress in 1862 authorizing
the president to take possession OF
railway and telegraph lines when in
his judgment public safety might re-
quire it.
Settlement Only Remedy.
No power on earth except a sat-
isfactory settlement can now prevent
a strike" said w. G. Lee, president
OF the trainmcn,
We four heads certainly could not
/ obtain a postponement OF the strike
il We want to, nor could we postpone
it if we received messages requesting
such action from every one of the
committee OF $40 who were here last
week. President Wilson has not ask
ed US to postpone the strike and he
understands, as we made it very clear
to him on Monday night, that we
now are powerless to act unless
satisfactory settlement is made"
A. B. Garretson, head of the con-
ductors and spokesman for the en-
ployes, made similar statement.
Will Consult Gompers.
Besides comforting with Secretary
Wilson today, the brotherhood heads
talked with several members OF con-
grsss at the capital The brotherhood
officials expected to confer today with
Sal uel Gompers, president OF the
( American Federation OF Labor. 1t
.
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