The sun., 1917-12-13
BrotherhOOds Insist Upon
Hearing Before Final De-
cision Is Made.
ASK RIGHT TO STRIKE
R. R. War Board Learns
Lines Personnel Will
Stay Unchanged.
VISITS THE WHITE HOUSE
President will Probably Give
Matter Further Study Be-
fore Taking Action.
VISITS THE WHITE HOUSE
Special Despateh 10 THs sux.

fOre Taklng Action.
Special Despatch 10 THs suS.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 12.-After a day Of
conferences. at which President Wilson
r.. nrst haSd the view. Of some Of the
railroad executives and also met the
local representatives Of the four railroad
brotherhoods. the situation As regards
the railroad problem now ensrossfng
public attention remain. exactly as de-
scribed In THE Sur last Tuesday.
The President believes there must be
Government control OF the roads during
the rest Of tho war to secure the maxi
mum efiiciency. but has not as yet
worked out in his mind the details Of the
plan by which this shall be brought
about. particularly with respect to its
financial phases.
The President feels that while the
roads war board and Its subsidiary
committees have done all that was pos-
sible under the limitations imposed upon
them these agencies should be REINFORCED
now by governmental authority af the
bsst results are to Be obtained.
Personnel to Ds Unchknsed.
The road organisations, both as to
oficers and men, arc not to be dis
turbed In any plan that u adopted.
Railroad security holders are to b
amply protected and the financing of
maturing obligations will be provided
The railroad brotherhoods are insist
ing on q hearine<a and are understood to
have sent their local legislative agents
70 the White Houss to-day to request the
President to hold up any recommenda- =
tions he may make until the four chiefs
Of the orders have had q chance to con-
suit among themselves and define the
attitude Of their organisations toward
any plan Of Government control
President 4. y. 0sFyetsoR Of The oon.
duetors is here awaiting the arrival OF
y eeeae OF the engineers. Carter ~ 9s4he
hremen and Lee Of the trainmen. who
are now speeding toward this city. The
President has given no indication to any
one as yet when he intends to submit
his plan to Congress. and in view Of this
request OF the labor leaders It may be
deferred for a few days II not longer.
The President is believed to be de-
pendins on Secretary McAdoo and other
financial advisers for suggestions that
will aid him In shaping the financial
uc'oiis VI pfAu Auc IACt tudt
SHELTON Williams. Comptroller OF the
Currency. had interested himself In the
railroad situation recently 10 tho ex-
tent Of submitting statement TO the
]. c. c. and preparing other memoranda.
10 believed to be responsible for the
rlmor circulated here to-day that Mr..
Williams was to he made Railroad Ad-
ministrator. While this runor could
not be confirmed and was generally dis
believed. Republicans In the Senate are
preparing to fisht any legislation that
would change tho present management
Of the roads.
war board. Fairfax Harrison, Howard
Elliott. Hale Holden. julius Kruttschnitt
and Samuel Rea went to the White
House In q body at $3.50 this afternoon
and spent one hour with the President.
A statement subsequently, issued by Mr..
Harrison said that the railroad situa-
tion was discussed fully md frankly,
but no decision was reached" This was
all that members Of tho board had to
say on the subject.
offered Their Services:
It Is known, however. that they car
ried out their intention Of offering theiI
services In any way that the President
saw At to use them and Of offering any
Information which he might desire to
have.
Concern over the interests Of the
1900 900 holders Of railroad securities
amounting In the aggregate to $4,000.
100000 was uppermost In the minds oi
the railroad presidents who went to the
White House. There was also concern
over future financing under any Govern
ment control plan in view Of the fact
that s250.O00. 900 Of obligations will ma
ture in 1918.
With these questions uppermost ir
their minds the outcome Of to-day's CON
ference was felt to be encouraS1ng. The
impression gained was that railroad
security holders need not feel any alarm
over the situation and that Government
control will not mean any reduction ol
dividends. The same reinsurance II 9lst
Understood to have been conveyed TO-
day regarding the present railroad or
ganizations. The organisations Of eacf
road will remain the same and It vii
run its own road.
The English plan Of Government con
troll Is understood to have been, takeI
up to some extent In to-day's discussion
and there 10 reason to believe that tn
President intends to follow this plal
In some Of its features. except that ]
ia unlikely that any Anne rican plan vii
provide for the carriage OF Governmen
freight free. The railroad executives
are very much opposed to this. one o
their reasons being that Governmen
freight IL now large proportion Of thsi
business and they will have TO- hav
money to run their roads This Vew !
believed to have met with approval TO
day at the White House.
Tho question Of Whist treatment shal
he accorded under . Government pia,
TO railroads now paying dividends 4
apparently undecided. Under the Englisl
plan the condition OF the@e roads wovlt
reman the same - before 0cvsrnmen
operation. ThIs question appears TO b
one Of several which are oohrplicAtiRi
work. % tG
cesssss witA - otAs. HssAs.
After their confsrsncs with the Prssi
dent the members Of The beard rstuSns'
10 their headQuartsvs and went int
sonfsrsncs with thirty railroad presi
co~ss~ses On rAts nsce.