Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-10
CHAPTER XXIII

departure for his summer
home at Long Branch, N. j., the
president was engaged in Washing
ton completing the most important
items of his legislative program, in
Guiding the income tax, child labor
law and the Adamson eight-hour
law.
A disastrous strike, involving the
whole ssytem of railroad transporta-
ton, now seemed imminent. At the
critical juncture, the president inter-
vened. On August 13 he invited
the disputants, before reaching any
final decision, to confer with him
personally at Washington. His in
tervention evoked general express
sions of relief and approval.
At these conferences the railway
men stood firm for an eight-hour-
day. The railway managers refused
these demands. How to meel this
critical situation, which if it had
not been checked might have result
ed in giving Germany victory.
was one of the pressing problems
that confronted the president that
critical summer. Not only were
American business interests involv-
ed in this matter, but the allied gov
ernments of Western Europe, then
in the throes of the great war, were
no less anxious, for a railroad strike
would have meant cutting off of
the supplies to the allied forces
that were so much needed at this
critical juncture.
The president sent for the brother
hood representatives and for the
managers, to confer with him at
the White House, and suggested ar
bitration by way of settling the con-
troVersy. The labor leaders, con-
scious of their strength, refused to
arbitrate. The railroad managers
were equally obdurate. I well re-
member the great patience Of the
president at these conferences day
after day. He would first hold con-
ferences with the brotherhood repre-.
sentatives and then with the rail.
road managers; but his efforts were
unavailing. 1t is regrettable that
the men on both sides were indif-
ferent to the presidents appeal and
apparently unmindfuF of the conse-
quences to the country that would
Inevitably follow a nationwide
strike.
Attitude to the Brotherhood
I remember what he said to me
as he left the green room at the
conclusion of his final conference
with the heads of the brotherhOods.
Shaking his head in a despairing
way, he said: II was not able to
make tn slightest impression upon
those men. They feel so strongly
the justice of their cause that they
are blind to all the consequences
Of their action in declaring and
pr -secu. 3 strike. I was shocked
to find a peculiar stiffness and hard
ness about these men. When I
pictured to them the distress of our
people in case this strike became a
reality, they sat unmoved and ap-
parently Indifferent to the serious
ness of the whole bad business.
am at the end of my tether, and
do not know what further to do"
His conferences with the man
ayers were equally unproductive Of
result. Gathered about him in a
semi-circle in his office. they were
grim and determined men, some OF
them even resentful or the presi-
dents attempt to suggest a settle
ment of any kind to prevent the
strike. I shall never forget his last
appeal to them. I sat in a little
room off the cabinet room and could
hear what went on. Seated about
him were the heads Of all the i'm
portant railroads in the country.
Looking straight at them, he said:
81 have not summoned you to
WashiD gton as president OF the
United States to confer with me on
this matter, for I have no power to
do so. I have invited you merely
as a feIlow-citizen to discuss this
great and critical situation. Frank
ly, I say to you that if 1 had the
power as president I would say to
you that this strike is unthinkable
and must not be permitted to hap
pen. What l want you to see, II you
will, is the whole picture that pre-
sents itself to me and visualize the
terrible consequences to the coun-
try and it's people of a nationwide
strike at this time, both as affecting
our own people and in it's effect
upon the allied forces across the
sea. For moment I wish you to
forget that l am president and let
us as felloW-citizens consider the con-
sequences of such action. A nation
wide strike at this time would mean
absolute famine and starvation for
the people of America. You gentle
men must understand just what this
means. Will your interests be serv-
ed by the passions and hatreds that
will flow from such an unhappy con-
dition in the country? If this strike
should occur forces will be released