The New York Times/1916/11/22/Rush 8-Hour Case as Labor Prepares
RUSH 8-HOUR CASE AS LABOR PREPARES
Government Attorney Springs a Surprise by Forcing Action at Kansas City.
EXPECT DECISION TODAY
Industrial Armies Practically Join Forces at Baltimore Convention—Gompers Warns Men of Wealth.
Special to The New York Times.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—There was swift manoeuvring today by all concerned in the fight on the Adamson eight-hour law.
In speeches made before the Federation of Labor convention in Baltimore by the chiefs of the four railway brotherhoods and Samuel Gompers, President of the federation, sentiments were expressed which are regarded here as confirming the impression produced by events of the last few days that the greatest battle between capital and labor is imminent.
United effort on the part of organized labor in the country to obtain a universal eight-hour day seems to be the certain outcome of the working agreement reached here on Sunday between the brotherhoods and the Federation of Labor and of the statements made in the convention today by the leaders of both bodies.
The Government forces sprang a surprise in Kansas City today when they urged haste in the injunction proceedings against the eight-hour law brought by the receivers of the Missouri, Oklahoma & Gulf Railroad. Judge Hook, it is intimated, may hand down a decision today. In Kansas City it is believed that this will be the test case on which the law will get before the Supreme Court.
Confer with Attorney General.
The interest of the Government and the railroads in getting a quick decision from the Supreme Court was shown tonight by a conference at the Department of Justice, in which the participants were Attorney General Gregory, Solicitor General Davis, and representatives of the New York Central, the Pennsylvania, and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroads. The conference was entirely informal, and afterward the Attorney General said that no conclusions were reached and no recommendations made.
It is understood, however, that the test case matter was discussed, and there were hints that the Missouri, Oklahoma & Gulf case might not be the one finally selected for advancement to the Supreme Court, despite the statements of the Government’s counsel. Indeed, Department of Justice officials caused some confusion tonight by saying that no decision to expedite any of the pending cases had been reached. Mr. Gregory said that no one knew which of the cases would be selected. In view of the fact that the Government has employed a special attorney and has sent two officers of the Department of Justice to appear on Thursday at Kansas City in the hearing of the suit filed there by the Union Pacific and Santa Fe it had all along been supposed that the Government would be inclined to agree that this case should afford the test.
President to Renew Recommendations.
Because of the renewed seriousness of the dispute over the Adamson act, President Wilson has made recommendations for railroad legislation the principal part of his next address to Congress, which he completed late today. These recommendations, it became known definitely tonight, will be practically the same as those made to Congress last August when the Adamson bill was enacted. The question was discussed at today's Cabinet meeting.
It was learned today that the President has been strongly but vainly urged to recommend to Congress legislation authorizing the Interstate Commerce Commission to fix wages paid on railroads. In addition to the proposals made last Summer for enlargement of the commission, enforced investigation of disputes before strikes or lockouts, and authorization to the commission to consider wages in fixing freight rates, the President is understood to have de- cided again to urge that Congress make all arbitral awards in such disputes judgments by record of a court of law.
Brotherhood Leaders Active.
The chiefs of the railroad brotherhoods, Lee of the trainmen, Stone of the engineers, Carter of the firemen, and Sheppard, acting for Garretson of the conductors, returned here from Baltimore this afternoon, and three of them left tonight for Kansas City, where they will attend the hearing of the injunction suit brought by the Union Pacific and Santa Fe Railroads. They have made no arrangements to appear before the Joint Congressional Committee which has begun an investigation into every aspect of the transportation problem. Their interest at this time lies in the effort to prevent the Adamson law from being abrogated, and from what they say, they seem to be prepared to go to extremes to make the eight-hour railway day a permanent thing.
Just how the brotherhoods, supported by the Federation of Labor, will proceed to carry out their attempt to make the eight-hour day effective if the United States Supreme Court should declare the Adamson act null and void or the injunction against putting the act in operation should still be in force on Jan. 1, has probably not been determined. The brotherhoods and Federation leaders, however, appear to have reached a firm intention to make the fight of their lives to obtain the eight-hour day not only for railway trainmen, but for all other organized workers.
That a general railroad strike may be called if the Adamson law is not put into effect on Jan. 1 is inferred from the remarks of the brotherhood leaders.
“There will be an eight-hour day on the railroads or there’ll be some unfinished business before this country,” was the way Chief Stone of the engineers put it when he was asked whether a strike would be called.
The belligerent attitude of the labor leaders has impressed observers here with the belief that they will have the eight-hour day or take radical means to obtain it.