Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 197, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 August 1916 — Here Is Status of Negotiations in Rail Crisis. [ARTICLE]

Here Is Status of Negotiations in Rail Crisis.

Washington, August 16.—The situation in the negotiations in progress -here seeking to avert the railroad strike is summarized tonight, on the basis of the best obtainable information, as follows: 1. President Wilson has made up his mind as to what is a just solution. He believes the demand of the men for -an eight-hour day is just, the question of overtime to be left for future settlement. If he fails to effect an agreement he will place the whole case before the American public.

2. While . insisting their full demands must be met, the brotherhoods are prepared to accept the president’s proposal and are expected to do so in a massmeeting,tomorrow. 3. The railroad managers, unless they change front abruptly, will tell the president they cannot accept his proposition; that it would destroy the principle of arbitration for labor disputes; that the length of the. basic work day is as much a question for arbitration as the other points involved.

4. Despite apparent stiffening of rcsistence on both sides, administration officials are optimistic over the outcome of tomorrow’s conferences, the feeling being that the railroad managers cannot afford, in the face of public sentiment, to reject the president’s proposal.