Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-03-17

tpr MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED WRIT

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED WRIT
Washington, March 16.-President
Wilson called upon the railroad man
ayers and chiefs OF the employees
brotherhoods as patriotic men to re-
open the question at issue between
them and prevent a general Interrupt
ton of railway traffic, lin this time of
national peril"
The presidents message, an appeal
for adjustment of differences and Il
solemn protest against a strike, was
sent after he and the cabinet had ap-
proved a proposal of the council of
national defense that it send COM
mittee to New York to undertake me-
diation between the railroads and
their employees. At the same time
three of the four members of the COM
mission, Secretaries Lane and Wilson,
Daniel Willard, president Of the Bal
timore Il Ohio railroad, started for
New York to seek immediate confer
ences with Representatives of both
sides.
Gompers Not Present.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, is the
fourth member Until tonight it was
understood at the White House that
he had gone to New York with the
committee, but it developed that he
had been out of the city for two days
and that Secretary Lane, entrusted
with arrangements for the commit
tees trip, probably had not been able
to reach him. Officials at the feder-
atoms headquarters would not say
where Mr.. Gompers was. but explain
ed he had been keeping in touch with
the brotherhood leaders from Il point
near New York. 1t was thought he
would be in New York tomorrow II he
did not get there tonight.
President Confident.
The president is confident that there
will be no strike. However, he al
ready is considering what may be
done if his appeal is futile. Legal Of
ficers of the government are studying
tho problem to determine what meas
ures will be lawful not only in an ef-
fort to keep food supplies and the
mails moving, but to deal with an
even more serious situation If the
The latter phase is being given only
minor attention, however, as officers
are satisfied that if war came the
loyalty of all the railroad men could
be depended upon,
Acts Quickly.
The action of the president came
with dramatic suddenness late this
afternoon. The council of national
defense, including in its membership
several cabinet officers, met at the
war department and deciding that
with the United states apparently on
the verge of war, a railroad strike
would be O national disaster, proposed
the sending of mediators.
Against the advice of his physician
President Wilson, just recovered from
a cold which has kept him in bed for
nearly two weeks, summoned a cabi-
net meeting and in short, decisive
session approved the course.
Prior to taking up the question
with the national defense council the
president had been informed that the
leaders of the employers and en-
ployes were waiting in New York to
see whether he would take action and
had also been told of reports that at
least some of the brotherhood mem
bers were not ready to abide by last
years strike vote.
Should Compromise.
In the formal communication the
did not seek to lay blame
for the present situation either on the
railroad officials or on the brother
hoods. 1t is known, however, that the
president believes from his intimate
knowledge of the situation gained
while trying to mediate last year that
there is no good reason why q COM
promise is not possible.
Both at the meeting of the council
of national defense and at the cabi-
net meeting afterward, the situation
from a military and economic stand
point was canvassed. With freight
traffic just partially recovered from
a period of unprecedented congestion,
and with food prices constantly ris-
ing, tie-up of transportation facili-
ties for only a few days would result
in terrible suffering.
Employees To Win.
All government officials believe that
through one agency or an
other the railroads will have to ac-
cept, the eight-hour day. They be-
lieve that the commission headed by
Major General Goethals, appointed by
the president under the Adamson act,
is fair and will settle equitably differ
ences over the application of the
sight hour day. While there have
been no formal expressions on the
subject the calling of the strike with
out waiting for the supreme court to