Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-03-17
us. NAY TAKE CONTROL
AdministTatiS,n Hints that Tie-up
of Nations Traffic Lines in Time o.;
Peril Not Permissible.

New York, March 1.-THE rail
road managers were informed yes
tcrday that the engineers on the
Santa Fe system had wired their
grand chief they had withdrawn ant
would refuse to obey the strike or
der.
The conductors and engineers OF
the st. Louis & Southwestern have
3 withdrawn, according to word reach
ing the managers, and on the Illinois
Central the fremen have announced
their intention to withdraw.
Reports received from various
parts of the country by the railway
managers indicated, they declared
organized withdrawal by some of the
roads employees from the brother
hoods agreement to strike. Reports
declared that in the East and South
s the engineers and conductors did not
consider the grand chiefs had author
ity to call out the men without first
submitting the strike question to a
new vote.
New York, March 17.-Secretary
Wilson, asked if he had received any
instructions from President Wilson
as to the course to be taken replied:
81 have no mandates and we have no
cut-and-tlried plans. We are simply
going to discuss the situation and see
what can be done"
Secretary Lane asked regarding
the instructions received by the spe-
cial committee said:
tT did not come to New York with
a club in my hand".
At midnight indications were that
the meeting would be an all-ntght
session. No announcement had been
made of any conclusion reached by
the committee.
Washington, March II. - The
United States government is pre-
pairing to take over the management
and operation of the railroads OF the
country. if the rail strike order
goes imt.o effect tonight. ~"
A proclamation by the President,
it is understood, rcciting the national
peril and emergency will be followed
by actual steps to assume the opera
tion of the roads if the private opera
tors of the transportation systems
are admittedly unable to continue.
President Wilson yesterday appeal
ed to representatives Of the rail
roads and trainmen to avoid strike
The Presidents appeal was sent tol
Elisha Lee. chairman of the confer
ence committee of railroad managers;
l.. E. Sheppard, acting head of the
trainmen; w. S. Stone, grand chief
of the engineers, and w. S. Carter,
president of the firemcn and engine
men. it was as follows:
81 deem it my duty and right to
anpeal to you in this time of ma
tional peril to open again the queS-
tions at issue between the railroads
and their operatives with a view to-
accommodation or settlement.
"With my approval, committee
of the Council of National Defense
is about to seek conference with
YOU with that end in view.
"a general interruption OF the
railway traffic of the country at TINS
time would entail a danger to the ma
tion against which l have the right
to enter my most solemn and ear
nest protest.
SIT is now the duty of every patrl-
otto man to bring matters OF TINS
sort to immediate accommodation.
The safety of the country against
manifest perils affecting its own
peace and the peace of the whole
world makes accommodation abso-
lutely imperative and seems to me to
render any other choice or action
inconceivable. ;"
The following telegram was re-
ceived by President Wilson last night
from the railroad managers commit
tee:
I'm harmony with the spirit of
your message, the national confer
ence committee of railroads will CO.
operate with the committee of the
Council of National Defense IN an
earnest effort to avert the national
calamity which would result from an
interruption of railroad traffic.
Richmond. March 17.-That en-
ployes of the Pennsylvania Railroad
have. practically unanimously, pro-
tested the strike orders of the rail.
way brotherhaad leaders, have re-
fused to accept these orders and are
of the opinion that the brotherhood