The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-09-01
GREAT R. R. STRIKE
TO START MONDAY
PRESIDENT FAILS TO EFFECT A
SETTLEMENT
Unions Decline Arbitration and Presi
dent Threatens Governmental
Control.


strike were still at a critical point yes
terday.
At conference at the White House
President Wilson rejected the counter
proposal submitted by the executives
that all of the questions involved be
settled by arbitration. Instead, he
told them that he was prepared to Sc
cure legislation from congress which
would make impossible the strike. 1t
is understood that this legislation would
include:
IAN eight-hour law for railroads to
become effective at date far enough in
the future to give the railroads oppor-
tunity to prepare for it.
"A law patterned after the Canadian
act which creates a commission of in
vestigation and prevents lockouts or
strikes while an industrial dispute is be-
ing investigated.
After the executives left the White
House the president went to the capitol
and discussed the entire situation with
the democrat steering committee of
the senate While the president was
there the executives issued the follow
ing statement:
''In a conference at the White House
between the president and the commit
tee Of the railway presidents, sugges-
tion was laid before the president in
the nature of proposition for progress
toward solution of the questions at is
sue. This was left with the president
for his consideration.
The committee expects to see the
president again in the near future, but
before leaving the committee pointed
out that if the reports that the date
for declaring the strike has been fixed
for September 4, were true, it would
force an early conclusion of the nego-
tiations and compel the presidents to
return to their properties to prepare
for the issues"
1t become known Monday that Labor
day, Monday, September A. is the date
fixed for the strike in the tentative or
ders prepared by the railroad brother
hoods and carried home by the members
of the committee of $40 when they left
Washington Sunday.
1t was learned that the brotherhood
leaders decided negotiations here must
end one way or another before Labor
day, and selected the holiday with a
view TO having 1000. 600 or more work
ers il all lines of labor march in great
demonstrations in favor of the strikers
cause.
Railroad executives exhibited what
purported to be the strike order to be-
come effective at a. m. September A
The order was issued August IA to all
locals and interests in the four brother.
hoods. The body of the order the ex.
ecutives showed follows:
''This is to advise that the vote of the
employees in train and engine service on
the eight-hour day and time and one
half for overtime proposition was over
whrImingly in favor of a strike.
Notwithstanding this, your repre-
sentatives have been unable to effect a
satisfactory settlement and a strike
unoer the laws of the respective organ.
Eations becomes effective on (here the
daUe of September 4 is stamped with a
rubter stamp at here a. m. is writ
ten in ink). Impart this information
so that those interested will under
stand that they are to promptly obey.
"Fraternally yours,
GENERAL CHAIRMAN.
There is no other signature.
A statement of the duties of mem
bers and officers in conduct of strike
accompanies the order. 1t requires
that no trainmen shall perform any SER
vice after the strike hour unless he al
ready has begun trip and has left the
terminal. No difference is made be.
tween mail train and a freight train.
OF this feature the statement says
''you have scientifically the same right to
refuse to perform service on a mail
train as you have to refuse to perform
service on freight train.
II is said that the P. M. Ry and the
electric lines will not be tied up by the
strike in case it occurs. while the M.
G. will be. This will be fortunate for
Clio people if true.
Ii is thought probable that the u S.
government will be compelled to as
sumo control in more or less complete
way, of the railroads of the country in
case the strike occurs, as the moving of
food supplies to the great commercial
and industrial centers will be positive
necessity.