Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-08-22
Begs Railroad Executives
to Accept His Plan to
Avert Disaster.
PRESIDENTS HOLD
OUT TO ARBITRATE
More Conferences Today, as
Deadlock in Strike
Issue Stands.

AA/ '''i 'iiA'Nio o4N. Aug. El.--AS one
w American citizen to another,
President Wilson today appealed to
each Of the executives of the coun-
try's principal railroads on grounds OF
patriotism TO accept his plan for
aNerting the threatened disaster OF a
nationwide strike. He empha sized
the necessity for keeping the rail-
roads in service as part of the ma
'lohal defense aud to make possible
preparation for meeting conditions
that will exist after the European
war
on leaving the White House the
railroad presidents, augmented dur
ing the day by arrivals from the west.
held conference at which sentiment
was said 90 be against agreeing to the
presidents proposal in its present
ioIm. Hope was expressed, however,
that some satisfactory counter prop
osition might be advanced, and it was
decided to turn over to a committee
The task of drafting final reply to
the president. With more than sixty
men, most of them with their own
ideas about what ought 90 be done.
thc executives found il difficult to
| get down to brass tacks" as one of
them expressed 1t. Tomorrow morn
ing another meeting will he held and
49, ei'oIt VIII ne maze TO reach
'''Sion Thn prolnbty.
pra,id,,t ,yi' uu neaus sun ii,Slst that
sacrificn tba ,'.indf,i 10 asNins ineIn 10
Elisha loo cbairnan % % a., hlpI,idt,on; tiai
conference committee of RAILWAYS is
sued statement tonight in which he
said:
"That the raiIroads sbould a,o,,
under threat of national striira a
$50. .OOO. 900 wage preferment to a
small minority of their emnlnves
ithout q hearing before n nuhlic iri.
bunal is inconceivable in ademocracv
like ours. All questions at issue
wages. hours. costs. operating condi-
tions-are submerged by the great is
sue; Shall arbitration be abandoned
In the settlement of industrial dis
putes?'
The statement suggests, however.
that railroads stand ready to take
Whatever action the people and the
country desire. 1t concludes;
Public Must Decide.
"The weight of nubIic onirior
must determine this issue We can.
not believe that il 10 tbe caIn, ira,
ment of the countrv that we s6ou1d
sacrifice the nrinci1Ie Of arbitration
in Industrial disnutes under n tBreot
TO Tie nm the commerce Of tho co,,n-
try.
While the officials were listeninc
to President Wilson and later con'
ferring at their hotel the general
committee OF sac representatives of
the employees VINO already nave ac-
cepeeu the presidents plan held
perlunclory peri meetihg ana marked
uine awaiting the decision OF the em-
ployers' ne sald they would wait
uhtll PRESIDENT wilson dismissed
tneul' put stood ready TO call n strike
should the negotiations fail.
Aithough rev OF the railroad ex-
ecutiVes invited had not arrived this
evening IL was decided those already
III "ashlhstoh were representative
anu therefore tne president called
them To the Whlte House and ear
hestly urgeu that ms plan OF settle
ment ne ratliled'
me railroad executives did not
enter INTO an argument with the
president put Hale Holden president
OF the burlington ana spokesman for
the roaus, promised deep considera-
uon OF the pan ana SAID the Off
clais would endeaNor to reach an
agreement as soon as possible.
MtSSaBes on tne SITUATION contln-
ueu 10 arrive AT the Whlte House an
uay Mdhy uPhelu the presidents
poSltioh anu many others urged MN
TO support tne railroads In their de-
manu- lor arol'raIloh'
Won't Make Comment.
A T. Gorretsop. Spokesman for
tho brotberhnods declined tonipbt 10
make any comment on tbe railroad
manaeers' statement ANY renIv to