Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 199, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1916 — Road Heads Consider President’s Proposal-to Avert Big Strike. [ARTICLE]

Road Heads Consider President’s Proposal-to Avert Big Strike.

Wilson’s plan for settlement of the threatened nation-wide railroad strike was accepted today by the representatives of the employes and taken under consideration by the officials of the roads, with many indications that they would reject it tomorrow. The word came from the managers, tonight, however, that they had arrived at no definite decision. With the situation apparently at a deadlock, the only hope in the situation lay in reports that the railroad officials might sugest a counter proposal, forming the basis of a settlement, or that one side or the other might recede from its present position. *

Thirty-one presidents and ranking officials of the great railroads received from the president this afternoon his plan for the adoption of an eight-hour day, regular pro rata pay for overtime and creation of a federal commission to investigate collateral issues. They told him they would like to consider the question and would report back tomorrow with the committee of managers which has been conducting negotiations. At the same time the general committee of 640 representatives of the employes were approving th president’s plan by a large majority and soon after the railroad officials left the white house the for heads of the railroad brotherhoods delivered to the president a letter notifying him jf the vote. The employes’ committee will remain here at the president’s call.