The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-14
CONDUCTORS AND
BRAKEMEN VOTING
lContinued from page Id

the United States board of mediation
and Cancellation who made pubic the
following letter from the president:
MY Dear Judge Chambers:
| May / not express my very deep
and sincerest interest in your efforts
to bring the railroad executives and
the brotherhoods engaged in train op'
! Grafton to an agreement that there
| shall be no interruption in their rela-
lions to either side until ample OPP
portunity shall have been afforded
the United States board of mediation
and Cancellation to bring about if pos
sible an amicaole agreement and In
| the event of failure to bring about
| such an agreement any controversy
| that may have arisen will be submit
| ted to arbitration in accordance with
| the provisions of the Newlands law.
take it for granted that your efforts
will succeed because 1t is inconceiv.
able to me that patriotic men should
now for a moment contemplate the
interruption Of the transportation on
which is so absolutely necessary to
the safety Of the nation and TO its
success in arms. as we'll as to its
whole industrial life, but ] wanted,
nevertheless, to express my deep per-
sonaI interest in the matter and to
wish you God speed. The last thing
Il should wish to contemplate would
be the possibility of being obliged to
take any unusual measures to operate
the railways, and have so much con-
fidence that the men you are dealing
with will appreciate the patriotic mot,
ives underlying your efforts that
shall look forward with assurance to
your success"
The brotherhood chiefs who will be
present at the conference with the
president are:
erhood of Locomotive Engineers; w.
S. Carter, president Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen;
l.. Z. Sheppard, first vice president
Order of Railway Conductors and w.
G. Lee. president Of the Brotherhood
of Railway Trainmen.
Would Welcome Government Control.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, Nov. 14.-Presi-
dent Wilson asked for a meeting with
the heads of the four railway brother
hoods after the labor conferences
had told Chairman Chambers of the
United States board of mediation and
Cancellation that they could not agree
to certain points made in the presi-
dents letter to Chambers, made public
today in Washington.
This was the statement of President
Lee Of the Brotherhood Of Railway
Trainmen, to the United Press here
today
Lee intimated strongly the brother
hoods would welcome any unusual
measures to operate the railways" re-
ferred to by the president. He cited
the present condition in England,
where, he said, the British government
is in absolute control of the railways
and is insuring both the companies
and the men profits and adequate
wages.
| The presidents letter has been in
Lees hands since Judge Chambers
conferred with the brotherhood heads
at the presidents request.
| Il do not wish to state what the
points in the letter are to which we
take exceptions" said Lee. ANY such
statement, made prior to our confer.
ence with the president might be mis-.
understood by him. We asked Judge
Chambers several questions ne could
not answer and he put them up to the
president. He then asked to see US
OF course We are glad to see him.
Such an arrangement as England
has," said Lee, would mean solidity
for union men"