The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-13
WILSON READY
TOCRUSH MOVE
T0TIEU LINES
No Fear Of Serious Halt on
Railroads While the
War Lasts.
TRAINMEN SHIFT PLAN
Demand for Wage Raise
Will Not Be Made Be-
fore Spring.
ROAD CHIEFS CONFER
Administration Told Systems
Cannot Increase Pay With
out Serious Loss.
ROAD CHIEFS CONFER

stated positively that President Wilson
has no intention OF permitting the rail.
roads of the country to be tied up on
short notice THROUGH the desire OF the
railroad trainmen. or a small portion OF
them. to take advantage Of the needs
OF the Government. to force additional
compensation for themselves from the
railroads.
Publication to-day Of the fact that the
passenger trainmen Of the lines north
OF the Potomac and east OF the Mis-.
sissippi intended to force an increase
from the railroads has seriously inter.
fered with their plans. At the meeting
TO be held at Ottawa secret plans were
to be threshed out and then sprung on
Vine railroads at the last moment but
these plans have now been frustrated:
railroad uainmen and possibly some of
the other brotherhuods will seek in.
creased compensation next spring. but
not before then.
Wilson Il Prepared.
President Wilson now has the facts
regarding these latest plans OF the all
roid brotherhoods. He Is waiting de-
arises.
With the labor crisis postponed. in the
opinion OF railroad officials here ta.te
we're indications to-day that the Cow
ernment Is about to take official cog.
nizance in the immediite future Of tns
need OF the railroads for more returns
Investigation by the Internal Revenue
Bureau has disclosed that very few rail-
roads are earning as much as per cent.
n . OF tHnk ax,@ 49, e..
being In position to grant Increases
in pay 10 their employees. are In need
OF additional revenues. This is true
particularly OF the Eastern railroads.
The last EFFORT to obtain an increase
resulted In raise of about per cent
In freight rates. when a horizontal raise
! Of Is per cent. was needed
Informal and unofficia, reports in cir.
culat!on here are that the Eastern rail-
roads will ask additional compe lsatlon
/ for moving freight hut the applca lion
will be postponed until the October re-
turns are In. -
Eject of Freight Rates.
To meet the argument that the con-
sumer pays for increased freight rates
the railroads are prepared to submit
numerous examples OF articles made in
one city and sold at the same pr'Ce all
Newark, y J., and Danbury Conn. sell
AZ the same price in Srn Francisco. New
York and New Brl' Conn. they win
/ show and the same is true OF prac-
t!cally every other thing hpned by Tho
railroads This Will be shown to denon-
strste that freight rates have only a
neg'ig'b be effect. II any. on pr ces
charges f'r all ear's ~ a-''r'.s
Frederick n. Underwood. pres sden' Of
the Erie Railroad, held a Ghor, coufer.
ence with President Wilson this after.
noon. Immediately thereafter he ron-
ferred with Samuel Rea. president Of
the Pennsylvania Daniel Willard presi.
dent of the Baltimore and ono Fair.
fax Harrison. president Of the southern
Railway and few other railroad ex-
ecutives and officials.
/ As result of these conferences Il
ca, be stated that the Administr.., on
has no intention Of taking dCs I'M 'he
coming controversy, but will insist that
the railroads be kept runniIs At All
costs Mr., Underwoo God Win, refusing
to say anything OF what .rdusp'ieI at
the conference IN the White House or
the conference with his colleagues later.
indicated clearly that there IS no fear
of any serious ticup at this time or
while the war is in progress,