The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-08-29

washington, AUG 2S.-PreSldent
Wilson tonight definitely decided to 20
before Congress in person tomorrow or
Wednesday to recommend legislation
aimed to avert the threatened nation
wide railroad strike, or to stop it, if it
come before Congress can act He
worked until late tonight on his mes
sage, in which he Will tell members
Of the Senate and House OF the nego-
definite legislative program.
Decides After Conference
The President reached this conclusion
after conferences at the White House
with the committee of eight railroad
presidents and the four brotherhood
heads on a new proposal for settlement
of differences suggested by the execu-
tives, and after prolonged discussion
of the situation at the capitol with the
members of the Democratic steering
committee of the Senate
The proposition of the railroad ex-
ecutives was that an investigation Of
to be named by the President the in
vestigation to last for period of three
or four months NO acton tot be taken
fy either side in the meantime and at
the conclusion of the inquiry the stu
alton to be what it now is, the employees
having the choice of either arbitration
or striking. The brotherhood heads
promised reply tomorrow morning
and there was every indication it would
be unfavorable.
Asks Stop Of Strike Order.
When the railroad brotherhood heads
went to the White House tonight the
president not only laid before them
the plan of the executives but strongly
urged the withdrawal Of a tentative
strike order sent out yesterday subject
to release, calling for walk out Of
100000 brotherhood members at a.
IN. Labor Day, September 4. This re-
quest was fatty refused, the leaders
saying only the committee of $40 which
left Washington yesterday had power
to recall the order.
Copies Of the strike order were
brought to the President s attention
after they had gotten into the posses
sion of the railroad executives. Il
had been known that the members of
the committee Of $40 carried home with
them a tentative order, but no one out
side of the brotherhood councils hal
suspected that date had been set and
the President is said to have been
greatly perturbed by the information.
After the refusal to Withdraw the or
der he communicated with the railroad
presidents v 10 :;
lasted until late in the night.
In spite of the apparent final failur
Of his efforts to bring the two sides to
gcther the president was represent! -
light as bing still !opefu .''''n
strike.
To Prevent Strike At Any Cost.
Although on the surface na.'rn
wide railroad strike was nearer tonigh
than it has ever been, confidence wa
expressed in afficial quarters that tn
steps under contemplation wouif hav'
the effect Of preventing the walk out
The President realizing the disaste
which would come to the country if tn
railroads tied up, was said to be dc
termined to prevent a strike at an.
COST In his conferences with the eS
ecutives he strongly urged that tn
change their hitherto unyielding att
tude and when he saw the employees n
declared that all suggestion from tn
executives should be given most careft
consideration Final arrangements fo
the appearance of the President befor
Congress were not completed tonlgh
but discussed the question fully wit
the Democratic steering committee c
the Senate and they agreed with hi
that he should address a joint session
The time of his appearance depene