The day book. [volume], March 20, 1917, LAST EDITION, Image 5

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
DOES SUPREME COURT RULING FORBID RAIL
STRIKES? BROTHERHOOD MEN PERTURBED
New York, March 20. With pos
sibility of railroad strike definitely
averted, both railway managers and
brotherhood chiefs turned their
efforts today toward more minute
study of situation they have brought
about.
Railways have surrendered and the
brotherhoods are undisputed victors,
but both camps are today trying to
salvage as much as possible from the
work of past few days.
Increased freight rates seem sure
to be demanded by railroads to com
pensate them for $50,000,000 a year
increased wages.
In the other camp the brother
hood chiefs action is directed at the
best possible application of Adamson
eight-hour law and one that will pre
vent law from legislating out strikes
of employes in "a business of public
interest."
The brotherhood chiefs and their
counsel 9at late into night studying
the law the supreme court -declared
constitutional. The brotherhoods
are not altogether pleased with the
court's decision.
One part of the law specifically
states the right possessed by em
ployes of "a business charged with a
public interest, and as to which the
power to regulate commerce by con
gress, applied," is "necessarily sub
ject to limitation."
Wm. G. Lee, trainmen chief, de
clared he does not believe this sec
tion prohibits strikes.
"We are public servants," he said.
"But we are not government em
ployes. Therefore I see nothing in
the supreme court's decision that
would prevent striking."
W. S. Carter, head of firemen, is
enroiite back to St Louis, where he
left his dying daughter to attend con
ferences here. A telegram late last
night summoned him back.
New York, March 20. The Adam
son law decision clearly establisb.es
the right of the government to pre
vent strikes, railroad managers con
tended in a statement issued today.
A sharp cleavage of opinion has de
veloped over this question, brother
hood chiefs contending that the rul
ing of the supreme court does not
give the government such power.
The Switchmen's Union of North
America, which was awarded ten
hour pay for a nine-hour day by an
arbitration board recently, "will be
taken care of" when their present
contract, signed for one year, ex
pires, according to another state
ment from the managers' officers.
o o
NOW SHOPMEN AND OTHERS
WANT 8-HOUR DAY
Now comes "the 80 per cent" ol
railroad workers, the shopmen and
other workers not affiliated with the
Big Four brotherhoods. They say it's
their Jiujn next for an eight-hour day
drive.
The railroad department of the
American, Federation of Labor open
ed a conference in Kansas City yes
terday. Officers of all railroad shop
men's unions are attending. They
expect to stay through the week
threshing out plans aimed to attack
the enormous war profits of the rail
roads and divert a part of jthose
profits into an eight-hour day and a
higher overtime rate.
"The train and enginemen have
shown what can be done through so
lidarity," said a shopmen's official.
"They are getting a wage raise total
ing $60,000,000 a year. They are to
get $13,000,000 back pay under the
basic eight-hour day forced from the
railroad companies.
"The shopmen are as important in
railroad operation as the train and
enginemen. Machinists, boilermak
ers, car repair men, blacksmiths and
trackmen are just as important for
the running (ft a railroad as firemen.