Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-03-17

definite plans ana Win no commands
As Secretary Lane expressed it. Il
have not come here with a club IN my
hand, but to listen and to investigate"
Secretary Lane and Mr.. Willard held
a preliminary conference with tho rep
resentatives of the men pending the
arrival of their conferees.
Managers Send Message to President
The brotherhood chiefs refused to
discuss for publication their probable
attitude. They admitted. however.
that they had sent no message to
President Wilson in response to his
plea that they strive to bring their
controversy with tho railroads to
Immediate accommodation" for pa
The managers committee made pub
lie, however. a telegram sent to Presi-
dent Wilson. 1t read:
'Tn harmony with the spirit OF your
message, the national conference COM
mittee of railroads will cooperate with
the committee of the national council
of defense in an earnest effort to avert
the national calamity which would re-
suit from an interruption Of railroad
traffic"
At 1:15 am. the railroad managers.
who had been waiting in their quar-
ters in the Grand Central Terminal.
were called into tho conference. The
ployers and employees lasted barely half
an hour. Before o'clock the brother
hood men left the room and began a
conference of their own, which lasted
well toward daylight. The managers
remained with the mediators until $40
am.
Appeal on Ground of Patriotism.
It is understood that the council of
national defense committee appealed to
both sides on the ground of patriotism.
and urged them to avert the strike on
the ground that at such time as this
| it would be a national calamity. There
were rumors that the brotherhoods
might be asked to accept the terms of
the switchmen's award, which would
| give the men nine hours pay for eight
hours work instead of the ten hours
| pay provided by the Adamson law. No
| inkling of what transpired in the con-
| ference room, however, came from any
! of those present.
Elish Lee, chairman of the commit
tee of railroad managers, declined to
make any statement. and none Of the
| railroad men or the mediators would
say whether any progress had been
made toward settlement.
Embargoes on Freight.
In preparation for the strike all the
big railroads have issued embargo
! orders on freight The New Haven an
nounced that beginning tonight all
sleeping and dining car service would
be discontinued unless meanwhile the
strike was declared off. An embargo
also was put on all freight on the line.
| Most of the railroads announced that
efforts would be made to continue the
movement of food and fuel. Commits
sioner Hartigan of the bureau Of
weights and measures announced that
| the railroads believed they would be
| able to run enough trains to prevent
| any actual suffering in New York city.
| Reports of disaffection among the
members of the brotherhoods because
Of patriotic objection to involving the
government in difficulties through g
strike were denied by L. c. Grifflng
vice president of the Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Engineers. He said thai
as far as the eastern territory wa:
| concerned he was in position to
state that the railroad men had re-
solved to strike for an eight-hour day
and pro rata overtime pay. and that M
dissension existed among the members
II am thoroughly in touch with thu
situation in the eastern states," he de
clared, and I have not heard any ex
pressions of discomfort against. {
strike. If there were any I would hav'
heard of them"