Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-03-15
UNIONS SUBMIT
MODIFIED PLAN
IN 8 HOUR FIGHT
New Move Made at New York to
Avert Rail Strike.
MEET MANAGERS AT GOTHAM
w. c. Lee Declines to Reveal Nature
of Proposition Given to Employ
ers, But Says 1t Has Been
Endorsed by the Men.

New York, March 15.-Chiefs of the
brOtherhoodS of railway employees
presented to the railroad manager. at
their meeting today modified PROPOSE
ton for a settlement of the eight-hour
controversy which will have the back
ing Of all the railroad employees.
W. G. Lee, head of the trainmen's
organization, declared:
''Inasnuch as we We're not a party to
the agreement between the govern
ment and the railroads that nothing
would be done to change the situation
pending the Supreme court decision on
the Adamson act, we are going ahead
as if there were no Supreme court
mighty Good Guessing."
Asked if plans for strike had been
made in the event that the PROPOSE
ton was rejected by the railroad mana
gers, Mr.. Lee said:
Il have not said that and l am not
saying it, but you can go ahead on
the idea that someone has already
done some mighty good guessing"
Mr.. Lee declined to disclose the ma
ture of the modified proposition ex-
cept to say that it was a modification
of that sought by the brotherhood
chiefs from the managers last Deem
Der. He explained that negotiations
now proposed were distinct from the
situation created by the appeal Of the
do +ba 0oITJ-+ or, bo
AdamsOn act.
He said the proposition had been in
d0rsed by the men at their meeting
here as we'll as by the brotherhood rep
resentatfves at Pittsburgh and other
cities.
Give Out Alleged Promise.
While the national chiefs of the four
hrotherhoods were discussing with the
eastern brotherhood officials the plans
for the threatened nationwide rail
road strike, which may begin Satur-
day, representatives. Of the railway
managers made public what they de-
clared was a promise not to strike
made by the brotherhood heads in
secret meeting in Chicago January 10.
They quoted from the text of the
statement q passage saying no rad
cal action would be taken until the
decision of the Supreme court has
been handed down in connection with
the eight-hour law"
Mr. Lee, when asked about this
statement said he would mot discuss
anybody's Interpretation of the Chi
cagO statement"
sit was right then, and it is right
now" he declared, land l am not go
ing to say anything about it,
He was asked If the present confer
ences looking toward strike might
not be considered a violation of the
Chicago statement.
Won't Wait Indefinitely.
"We never said we were just going
to sit still and do nothing indef-
nitely," he replied. Our position has
been to wait a reasonable tirne, and
who is to be the judge of what rea-
sonable time is? We have already
been very severely criticized by our
men for doing nothing"
A circular alleged to have been sent
to the 400 900 members Of the brother
hoods from the Cleveland headquar-
tiers in the last week, and signed by
W. s. Carter, president of the Broth
erhOOd Of Locomotive Firemen and
Enginemen, was made public by the
managers. It was headed "COmpul-
sorry Arbitration Bulletin No. 2" and
in part said:
IF there is a sincere public demand
that the railway employees shall not
strike for the eight-hOur day, then let
the federal government operate the
railways and assume responsibility for
the wages and working operations of
the employees"
Threat Amazes Wilson.
Washington, March 15-President
Wilson is amazed at the proposal Of a
n iOD-yyid do ia ily-.N CtriL ,a a +biS iITnc-