Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-31
.MED|AT ION BY
PRESIDENT NOT.
'sUCCEss;ORDER.
TO QUIT ISSUED
Senate and House Called
Together to Listen to
Wilson's Report
EXECUTIVE ASKS
NEW LEGISLATION
Would Broaden Powers of
Commerce Commission
to Meet Emergency
EXECUTIVE ASKS
NEW LEGISLATION
Strike Outlook

Washington, o. c., Aug. "a
summary Of developments in the
strike situation follows:
Negotiations between the rail-
roads and the brotherhoods
through President Wilson were
definitely broken OF.
The brotherhood leaders defih-
itely ordered the strike to begin
at 4. m. Labor day unless the
order 10 countermanded and de-
cIared that only a settlement "a
vorabie to the men could change
President Wilson prepared to 90
before congress in joint session at
$3.50 o'clock this afternoon with
proposals for new laws to prevent
the strike. The latest authentic
outline Of the proposals 10 as fol-
lows:
Increase Of the interstate CON-
merce commission from seven to
nine members. ....
An eight hour law for railroad
employees In actual interstate
transportation. a........@
To empower the federal board
! Of mediation to fully investigate
operation Of an eight hour day on
railroads.
To empower the interstate
commerce com mission to consider
the eight hour day IN connection
with making rates.
A measure similar to the Can
adam Industrial disptes. act for an
tnvestio cation OF all disputes be-
tween railroads and their en-
pIoyes. ,.. r..s
A measure empowering the
president to operate trains with
the primary object Of providing
the American troops on the Mex
lean border with food.
Washington, D. c., Aug. 20. Pres
dent Wilson laid the railway strik
situation before congress at 2:3
o'clock this afternoon in an address t
BIO h houses assembled in joint So!
SION. The president told congress G
his efforts to bring the railroad mar
ayers and the men into some sort Q
agreement and saying he was power
less to do more, he asked congress t
enact specific legislation to deal wit
the situation now and in the future.
Just before the president went t
congress 1t became known tha
the strike leaders had positively Gale
the strike for Labor day unless ia,
orable settlement was reached befor
and that the negotiations between tn
and men had been broke
of.
Representatives of the railway mar
ayers and of the brotherhoods hear
the president make his address.
The four brotherhood heads wer
guests of Speaker Clark in his gallery
other leaders of the men were in othe
galleries and the railway manager
were scattered about. The senate ha
over to the house chambe
and the joint session was seated an
ready for the president at 2:3O.
Mrs. Wilson, accompanied by tn
to Great Britain, Waite
Hines Page. and the ambassador t
France, William G. Sharp, was in tn
presidents reserved space. Severa
of the cabinet, including Sec
retaries Lansing, Wilson, Baker an
some justices Of the supreme cour
also were present. A committee cor
sisting of Representatives Kitchir
and Mann and Senator
Kern, Simmons and Smoot escorte
The president into the chamber. H
was greeted with uproarious cheers a
he entered.
President Wilson shook hands wit
Speaker Clark and Vice Presiden
while the applause and cheer
ing continued. He began speaking a
1882 o'clock. He said in part:
Gentlemen of congress-:
81 have come to you to seek you
assistance in dealing with very gray
situation which has arisen out OF tn
demand of the employees of the raj
roads engaged in freight train servic
that they be granted an eight hou
day, safeguarded by paymen
FOR an hour and half of service 70
every hour of work beyond she eigh,
THE matter has been agitated TO
more than year. The public ha
been made familiar with the demand
Of the men and the arguments urge
In favor of them and even more fan
liar with the objections Of the raj
roads.
The president then explained tina
The matter came some three week
ago to final issue and resulted in