The sun., 1917-12-14
LABOR YIELDS
TO US. CONTROL,
OF RAILROADS
GarretsOn Says Conductors
No Longer Are Opposed
to Plan.
EXPECT SPEEDY ACTION
President Hadley Of Yale Men
toned as Probable Railroad
Administrator.
Special D<spotcA to TRu suN.

cPcSsu' DSspOtC" 10 oVN.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.--The railroad
labor, unions are not likely to oppose
tho Presidents plan for Government
control OF the railroads during the war.
An in;imation to this effect came to-day
from A. p. Garretso president Of the
railway conductors. Mr.. Garretson
dropped into tho White House Offices this
afternoon to inform Secretary Tumuity
mat while he had seen the statement
made ,ha. the unions Intended to Heat
ths plan he did not believe It.
Mr.. Garretson disclaimed any aut hor-
ity 10 make a statement Of the brother
hoods position, and said that he Is
speaking only for himself Neverthe-
'ess, the pains he took to go to the
White House to-day was interpreted as
meaning that the eotherhood leaders
rad seen a light since yesterday, and
fearful that Congress m ght couple with
the Presidents planI compulsory SER
vice feature In tine nature Of draft
law had decided to forego any opposi.
lion
Hope for BETTER Wage
NJ. Garretson's acton also is believed
10 have been prompted ny assurances
received by the legislative agents who
saw the President yesterday that Gov
ernment control would not necessarily
put an end to their hope o. obtaining
wage advances. provided it were shown
that they were warranted by an in
reased cost Of living. In this cornec-
ton plan has been submitted to the
President BY sone OF his advisers under
which board will be appointed TO in
vestiEate the increased cost OF living
every three months and recommend any
necessary wage readjustmen..
This plan was first proposed when the
Attest wage demands were first broachcd
and Is known to have been received ia
vorabiy by the President. There is some
reason to believe that such a plan will
he Incorporated in any plan for Govern
nent control. ss under Government con-
troll the burden Of any advances would
's,l on the Government. inasmuch as
the Government Is to guarantee earn
ngs
The intmstion conveyed by MIR. Gar.
ietson !s generally Se.arded here as
possibly clearing awaSthe last obstacle
10 The Presidents plan. Although Mr..
Gsrretson disclaimed the right to speA X
officially for the union, there IL no doub,
that he has been In close touch with
NE other brotherhood chiefs. They had
expected 10 come here themselves, but
word was received to-day that they
cou'd not arrive before next week. Gar
retson himself left tonight for his
headquarters at Cedar Rapids. la. Be-
fore leaving he said: III the President
wants to consult with the broiherhoods
'"latlve to their position on Government
control Of the roads hs will not hesitate
to do so. for that's the kind Of a man
hA is. To my knowledge no move to
ascertain the railroad employees at
ttude has been made.
Men Are Patriotic.
As FAR as patriotism is concerned
mere il no more patriotic group Of
work!nsmen in this country than the
ra.lroahers. We cave as large a per-
centage OF men in khaki to-day as any
other trade. bar none. The railroad
mer are Americans because it il the
one trade in the country made up o:
men WHO are native born Americans
II don't know how the heads OF the
other brotherhoods stand on Govern
men, ownership. The brotherhoOds
''"'' ol"dsS cWUeaSulp.
| favored 1t for years, but have got a
long way beyond that point now The
other heads OF brotherhoods may hold
70 views favorng private ownership.
THIS new movement In so recent that
have TO means OF knowing their opinion"
The labor problem il known to have
gwen me President great concern. and
is known 20 have been one Of the fac
tors which i:npelled him originally to-
wand taking over the roads.
Members of the Railroad War Board
ana the other railroad executives are
now merely awaiting the announcement
of the Presidents plans. Pending this
ne hoard decided to-day not to issue
any further statements covering its
operations.
Expect speedy Action.
Eumors were current to-day that the
president was about to act speedily II
would not surprise many II his forth
coming message was delivered not later
'nan the early part OF next week. Now
ma ihe railroad executives have salts
ned themselves that the President in
,end1 TO follow In general way the
English plan OF a guarantee of earnings
Hsuring full protection to security hold
ois' Interest centres chiefly In the man
'hA President will name as railway ad.
ninistrator
The three men most prominently men,
oned for this place are Franklin X.
Lam Edward Chambers. traffic dIrec-
''r OF the Food Administration. and
A!tAnr TwipinR Ha@ president OF
Yale. President Had; vas a railroad
man in his youth and has written books
~ railroad economics. He has been
p director OF tho New Haven railroad
=
'hose men would be acceptable to the
'Hilrosds, but whether the President il
seriously considering any Of them Is still
'pen 10 doubt.