Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-03-17
Have No Definite Plans
Only Hoping to in Some
Way Compromise.
REFUSE TO DISCUSS ISSUl
Managers Prepare to Comba
Walkout If 1t Comes as
Brotherhoods Mark Time.

NEW NCR Rk, March l7.-Three
the mcdiaturs appointed by the ma
tional council Of defense IN an at
tempt to avert railroad strike wer
still in conference with the chief
q the four railroad brolherhoods
2.l5 o'clock this morning. At the
time. more than two hours after tn
meeting began, no word had com
from the room where the session wa
being held.
The committee of managers. headed
by Elisha Lee, its chairman, wa
called into tho conference room u
1:15 o'clock
Secretary of the Interior franklin
X, Lane arrived in the city at 9:36
o'clock and Secretary of Labor will
son nearly an hour later. Daniel vii |
lard, president OF the Baltimore a
ohio railroad. had rrcceGed thenJ
from Washington.
GompcrS Fails 10 .tcnd.
Samuel GompcIs, president of th@
American Federation of Labor, Is thJ
fourth member. Until tonight Il wal
understood at the White House thai
he had gone to New York with thd
committee, hut II deVcloped that nd
had been out Of the city for two dayj
and that Secretary Lane, entrusted
with arraugemcuts for the commit
tees trip, probably had not been abld
to reach him.
II was the purpose of the defensd
councils committee to carry their dis1
cussion with the representatives OF
the men as far as possible and then
call in the members of the national
conference committee of railroad
managers. All concerned in the conf
ference believed II might last all night.
al
the hotel where the meeting is being
held. he declared he brought no man
date from Washington. The mediat-
ors had no "cut and dried" plan, he
said, but it was their purpose to
bring about "A compromise, altho they
had no idea along what line.
Preliminary Conference.
Mr.. Lane reached the hotel only a
few minutes before the leaders of tho
brotherhoods, headed by w G. Lee.
The hour set fof he conference was
$3.50 o'clock. The railroad men vent
at once to the rooms reserved for the
meeting
Mr.. Lane declined to discuss tho
program OF the mediators except to
say:
IL did not come here with a club in
my hand" he said, but to listen and
lllFtHAlN NaiA's
Secretary Lane and Mr.. Wilson held
a preliminary conference with the
representatives, of the men pending
the arrival OF their conferees.
No Answer to President
The brotherhood chiefs refused to
discuss for publication their probable
attitude. They admitted, however.
that they sent no message to President
Wilson In response to hts plea that
they strive 10 bring their controversy
with the railroads to immediate ac-
commodation" for patriotic reasons
The managers committee made
public, however, telegram sent the
president in which they assured him
they would cooperate in an earnest
effort to avert the national calamity
which would result from an interrup-
tion OF railroad service Both sides
TO the conflict continued the policy OF
reticence they had maintained all day.
The managers were making plans TO
combat the strike If it is not to be
avorted thru the efforts of President
Wilson's representatives and tho
brotherhood leaders were simply
marking time.