The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-31
Strike Averted if Measure In
Passed by Saturday.
President Urges POstponement
of Tieup Date.
SENATE HOLDS A HEARING
GOmpers and GarretsOn De-
nOunce Arbitration Law.
Optimism Prevails That Strike
Will Be Ayerted.
additional strike details from
Washington ON page 6.l


Washington. Aug 3I.-Congress
put all other affairs aside today and
devoted itself to enacting President
Wilson's legislative program TO avert
the railroad strike.
But the president. overlooking no
possible means to prevent the threat
ened public calamity. did not depend
on congress alone and continued un-
ceasingIy his efforts to get the broth
erhood heads to postpone their strike
order.
Just before noon the president vert
to the capitol and. conferrinz with the
leaders. urged them on to the speed
necessary to get the bills thru the leg
islative machinery of house and SEN
ate before Saturday uight Then re-
turning to the White House he called
the four brotherhood heads before him
for another appeal to delay their strike
while congress. by law. provides what
the railroads have refused
Brotherhoods In Better Mood
Altho the brotherhood leaders rsit-
Grated that only a favorable settle
ment' could delay the strike and that
they were powerless to postpone il.
one of them admitted he believed the
rank and file of the men N view OF
the efforts being made in congress
would vote to delay 1t IL there was
time for them to express their wishes.
Out of that. out of proposals to have
congress pass a resolution asking the
men to delay, and out of many other
indications coming from the very in
side of the situation there came again
the indefinable intimation that the
strike could be prevented il congress
by Saturday night has not actually en-
acted the presidents program. but has
it in the way
Back of 1t all President Wilson was
holding another card-a direct appeal
to the rank and file of the railroad
men to realize that congress IL about
to give them what they ask and to
stay at their posts
House Leaders Adopt Bill
The president was still determined
today to do this, il necessary, but was
hopeful that IL would not be.
While the senate Interstate COM
merce committee was hearing the rail-
road heads and the brotherhood Lead
erS, the house managers got into ac-
ton and agreed on a bill. introduced
by Representative Adamson and zp-
proved by President Wilson. providing
the eight-hour day. pro rata pay for
overtime and a commission to inves-
tigate the new conditions They
planned to rush it thru while rhs
senate was working. II did not in
clude the compulsory investigsticn
features of the presidents program
but there were indications that he
would be satisfied with enough to pre-
vent the men from striking and take
up the remainder later.
Meanwhile, employers and men had
public hearing on the presidents
legislative program before the senate
men opposed the compulsory feature
and the employers opposed the eight
hour day.
Change Over Night
Washington, Aug. 31.-The railroad
strike situation has, in the opinion of
administration and congressional Lead
ers, changed over night from one of
pessimism to one of hope that para
lyzation of the nations business will
at least be postponed.
While congress got down to work
today on President Wilson's Legislative
program to prevent the railroad strike
the president himself renewed his ef-
forts to get the brotherhood leaders 20
recall their strike order and at the
sal me time took steps to hurry con-
gress along
He summoned the brotherhood
leaders to the White House for
o'clock and made arrangements TO 20
to the capitol to confer with admins
tration leaders.
Union Leaders Promise.
The biggest factor in this sudden
turn for the better was the statement
made public today of W. c. Lee. head
of the trainmen's brotherhood. that
enactment of the eight-hour law pro-
posed by President Wilson will OF it.
self prevent the scheduled strike Of
400, 900 railroad employees
Include Military Power
Before Lees announcement. Kitchia
I and Adamson had declared they would
certainly pass at least this one sugges-
tion of teh president and put IL up 70
1 the senate.
While some opposition was expected
to an eight hour law in certain quar-
(Continued on Page TwoJ