Evening journal., 1916-08-30

WA0IllANOlO ANf - Csf ~~~of
President Wilson's speech TO Congress
regarding the threatened railroad
strike yesterday afternoon was as
follows:
81 have come to you to seek your
assistance in dealing with a very
grave situation which has arisen out
OF the demand of the employees of
the railroads engaged in freight train
service, that they be granted an g
hour working day, safeguarded by
payment for an hour and half service
for every hour of work beyond the
eight.
"Tho matter has been agitased for
more than a year. The public has
been made familiar with the demands
of the men and the arguments urged
IN favor Of them, and when more IA
miliar with the objections Of the rail-
roads and their counter demands that
certain privileges now enjoyed oS
their men and certain bases Of pay
ment worked out through many years
Of contest be reconsidered, especially
IN their relation to the adoption or an
S-hour day. The matter came some
three weeks ago to final issue ana
resulted In q complete deadlock oe-
tween the parties, the means FRO
vlded by law for the mediation or
the controversy failed and the means
of arbitration, for which the law pro-
vides, were rejected. The represen-
tatives Of the railway executives pro
posed that the demands OF the men
be submitted in their entirety to ar
bisrntlon. along with certain ques-
tons OF readjustment as 70 pay and
conditions Of employment, which
seemed 10 them 10 be either closely
associated with ahe demands. or TO
call for reconsideration on their own
merits, the men absolutely declined
arbitration, especially II any OF their
established privileges we're by that
means to be drawn again into cues
lion. The law IN the matter put no
rompulsion upon them. The four
hundred thousand men from whom
the demands proceeded had voSed TO
strike, II their demands we're re-
fused: tho strike was imminent. II
has since been set for the fourth OF
September next. 10 affects the men
who man the freight trains on practi-
caiiy every railway IN the country
InN IIClEnl htINlG0 lnAUNkAAOAA NhN
United Staten must stand still until
thor places are filled. II indeed, II
nhould prove possible 10 hll them al
nil, Cities Will be cut or from their
food supplies, the whole commerce OF
the nation will be paralyzed. men OF
hvery trade and occupation will
bo thrown out OF employment, and
countless thousands will. In all like
iihood. be brought. II may be, TO the
very point OF starvation and tragi'
sai national calamity brought OH, Il
be added TO tho other dlstresses Of
he time. because no basis Of accom-
mediation or settlement has beer
,ound
Just 10 soon "a Il became owden
that mediation. under the existing Law
had failed, and that arbitration ha,
boon rendered impossible by the att
tude OF tho men. considered Il m.
duty 10 confer with the representa-
llvoE OF both the railways and tn
broaherhoods, and myself offer medi
alton, not as an arbitrator, but merely
as spokesman of the nation, In tn
Interest OF justice, indeed, a1d as
friend OF both parties, but not as
Judge, only as the representative o
10000 900 OF men. women and chill
dron. who would pay the price the In
oaieuiabie prices Of loss and suffering
should these few men inElst upol
approaching and concluding the mat
tiers In controversy between then
merely ~ employers and employe
rather than as patriotic citizens O
tho United States. looking before an
nfter. and accepting the larger re
sponsblllty which the public woul
put upon them.
Advccntes Eight.Hour Day.
ut seemed TO me, in considering tn,
subject matter OF the controvers,
that the whole spirit Of the time an
preponderant evidence OF recent ecc
nomie experience spoke for the s-hou
day II Is RdIudged by thought an
experience OF recent years thin
upon which society Is Justified in ir
stating M In the interest Of healtl
efficiency, ountentment, and a genera
increase Of economic vlgor. TIL
whole presumption OF modern expei
ienee would, Il seemed 10 me, be
Its favor, whether there was arbitrf
Hon or not, and tho debatable point
10 settle were those which arose out {
the acceptance OF the 8-hour day rattle
than those which effect It's establish
ment. I, therefore proposed that tn
s-hour day be adopted by the railwa
manasements and put into practice 70
tho present. a. a substitute for III
t0-hour basis OF pay. and that shout
appoint, with the permission OF Coz
gress, n small commission to obserN
the fesultH Of the change. CAREFUL
studying figures Of the altered costs
not only but also the conditions OF Il
Dor, under which the men worke
and the operation OF their existir
agreements with tho railroads, wit
instructions 10 report the facts {
they found them, 10 the Congress
the earliest possible day. but wlthol
recommendation; and that, after Il
facts had bean thus disclosed. ar
adjustment should, in some order
manner DO sought OF all the matte,
now left unadjustod between the raj
read managers and tho men.
"TheHe proposals. were exactly
line, II Ia interesting. TO note Wi
the position taken by Tho supren
Court Of the United Htates. when q
peaied 10, 10 protect oortqin litlgan
fFem the financial iosses, losses whit
they 6enideatiy expected II the
should submit TO tho regulation
their charges, and OF their method