Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-16
CONDITIONS IN u. S. TOO
GRAVE TO PERMIT
TIE-UP
CONFER TODAY IN \. Y.
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR LANE
HEADS COMMISSION SENT TO
NEW YORK CITY TO CoNpER
WITH BOTH FACTIONS IN EFF
FORT TO STOP WALN-oUT.

Washington March Is, 1olG-The
nationwide railroad strike will not be
permitted to take place.
The cabinet meeting. for which
President Wilson left his sckbed, held
meeting this afternoon, and at the
close of the session, it was announced
that committee on mediation had
been named and pledged to prevent
the threatened tie.up of all United
States roads
This committee is made up of Sec
retary of the Interior Lane, Secretary
of Labor, William b. Wilson, Daniel
Willard. President of the Advisory
council on National Defense, and sam
uel Gompers, President of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor.
The committee will leave Washing
ton at 4:30 O'Clock this afternoon, fer
New York City II viii confer with
both sides Of the controversy in an
effort to adjust all differences that e..
ist
While the committee has not Legal
authority. it is clothed with extraor-
binary power, in that il represents
the President and his cabinet and the
council of National Defense.
New York. March 1G--Only quick
intervention By President Wilson can
avert nation wide railroad strike.
Both the brotherhoods and the rail
ways look to Washington today for ac.
ton
Orders for a strike of freight train
workers on eastern and southern rail
roads to take effect at six O'Clock to-
morrow night have been given. On
Monday the strike will spread to the
middle west and will progress farther
on Tuesdoy on and Wednesday until
at reaches its climax on Wednesday
night when it will be in force On
freight and passenger trains thruout
the entire nation
Railway managers are remaining in
New York during the morning and If
President Wilson has not acted by
noon they will return to their homes
and prepare for the strike The
brotherhood chiefs will leave when
the railway managers leave Both
sides are shifting the blame and re-
spOsibility. The railway executives
state they agreed to put the interpre-
tatiOn Of the AdamsOn law up 10 the
Cocktails commission, recently ap-
pointed by President Wilson. The
brotherhoods charge the executives
with an attempt to force further arbi
tration until a national crisis would
make a strike impossible Both sides
have been asked to continue transpor-
tation on food and fuel The broth
erhoods have notified Joseph Harti
gan, commissioner OF weight and
measures. they will give New York
city five days of grace in which to
store up foods before transportation
Of food commodities is stopped The
railways have promised to do all in
their power to continue the operation
Of food trains with "the operatives
available
Railroads today are acting by tha
placing of embargoos and issuance Of
appeals for loyalty to their employees
The New York Central was the first
big system to issue q cali to its en-
ployes for loyalty during the crisis
and othor roads are today appealing
to their men to stand by thom
Embargocs have already been pat
in On by most of the eastern and
middle western railroads The Cheese
peake and Ohio, the LOUISVILLE and
Nashville. the Baltimore and Ohio, the
Big -Four the Wheeling and Lake Erie
and smaller roads have already refus-
e1 to accept responsibility for delivery
of freight after saturday Other roads
viii act during the day
Conference In Chicago,
Chicago, March lG SIX hundred To-
cal chairmen. representatives of west.
ern trainmen. went into session here
today for the avowcd purpose Of rati.
fying the strike plans of the brother.
hood chiefs
From Kansas City 81 Louis and
few other Western cities came indica.
tions of some disapproyal But des.
plte some defections subchiels were
confident when the conference began
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