The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-15
Fear of War Excuse of Rail
road Men i'm Their Threat
ened Strike
JOINT CONFERENCE
NOW IN SESSION
If Deadlock Results There Are Four
Elements That May Head Of the
Drastic Step Planned by the Broth
erhoods-President May Act.

NEW YORK, March l5.-Thc criti-
cal international situation is the most
important factor in the conference Of
the railroad chiefs aud railroad man
ayers that met here today TO prevent
III possible a national strike.
II is expected that if the conference
fails TO achieve its purpose President
Wilson will appeal 60 the employers to
settle their differences The 10000
railroad brotherhood men, according to
their spokesman, W. G.. Lee, are do
tcgmiucd TO get the S.hour day now be-
cause, should war come. patriotism
would make them feel obliged to stay
AT work.
The -four brotherhood chiefs and all
hut one Of the 70 railroad managers
lcgau their joint conference ut ll.3o
O'Clock. so statement prior TO the
meeting came from either side.
II the negotiations result in a dead
lock, the POO general chairmcn Of the
railroad organizations will scatter to
designated points 20 carry into opera
tion the carefully devised plans for the
beginning Of the strike at Is clock
Saturday evening.
Any ono or all Of four elements might
head of the drastic step planned by the
hruthCrhOods.
declaration of war.
The request or demand bv President
Wilson that there be temporary adj
lustmcnt OF differences between the
factions 50 that no further complica.
tlons be added to the country S prob.
lcms in this dangerous hour. This may
be accompanied by a threat Of govern
mcnt seizure Of all railroad lines.
Concerted opposition TO the projected
strike hy the innumerahle agencies fol
national defence.
Public clamor against the creation
of q condition that viii bring the bis
cities To- the famine point and will shut
down manufactures.
The last two counter moves to the
strike are already being made agains
the brotherhoods. From all points il
the country, through most OF the news
papers, from societies and citizens in
dignant protests have been mad,
against the enforcement Of the strik
order.
Despite the tumult raised by the reve
lation Of the plans the brotherhoods
chiefs last night were firm in their rur
pose ~ call the strike unless there wa
yielding today by the road manager
90 their dcmandS--demands that hav
been refused ever since last summer
ln q statement issued by their leader
tho brothcrhoods put the blame fo
their program Of trade paralysis upo
the railroads.
The four chiefs of the railroad brother
hoods during an hours Joint conference n
noon today presented to the nationa
conference committee OF railroad man
ayers their ultimatum, calling, it wa
understood, for the immediate grantin
of eight hour day and pro rata pay fo
overtime with strike as an alternatlv,
The managers, after listening 10 argl
mcnt Of brotherhood executives, III fayC
Of their proposition requested time I
consider the situation in separate sessio
and the Joint meeting was accordingI
adjourned until o'clock this Afternoon
when the managers promised Go civ
their answer 1t was believed by son
that the managers at their conicrcn,
would formulate counter proposition.