The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-10-20
AGENTS SNUBBED
At WHITE HOUSE
TELL OF TREATMENT ACCORDED
REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE
LOWER ROAD MEN.
URGED ONLY FAIR PLAY
Eighty Per Cent Of Railroad Workers
esiven no Consideration i'm The
Adamson Law.

Chicago. oct. 14.-The eighty per
cen. of railroad employees who do not
benefit by the Adamson law have is
sued an appeal to the public explain
inC what the "eight-hour law" is and
ash ing justice done to them, whose
welfare has been ignored by Presi-
dent Wilson. The letter, which is
addressed to Friends and Asso-
ciatCs of the Eighty Per Cent" shows
the inconsistency of the surrender
by President Wilson to the few high
~ paid men in the railroad ser
vice
The letter, in part, follows:
"As the men who originated, cir
culated and carried to Washington
the petition of the eighty per cent of
railway employees asking for definite
legislation to protect us from de-
structive interruption of interstate
commerce. and provide for fair ar
bitration of all differences between
railways and employees, we feel it our
duty to report the manner in which
the petition was handled and receiv-
ed n; the White House.
AT the most strenuous, solicitation
of President Wilson, the Congress of
the United States, in the closing
hours of the last session. enacted what
is commonly called the Adamson
law
""hat law was designed to give
and does give a wage increase of
twenty-five per cent to the engineers,
iremen, conductors and others in
railway train service, who threaten
ed nationwide strike if the law
was not passed exactly as they want
ed il by a certain hour.
THESE men constitute only TWEEN
ty per cent of the railway employees
of the country. In enacting a law
for their exclusive benefit, Congress
ignored the interests, rights and even
the existence of the eighty per cent
of employees, whose average wages
are much lower than those of the
specially favored few.
Tried To See Wilson.
During the negotiations follow
ing the strike threat of the $4,000
men in the four railway labor organi-
zatiols, it became apparent that Pres
ident Wilson was thoroly in sympathy
with their demand for ten hours pay
for eight hours work, or less.
"Realizing this fact, we endeavor-
ed constantly for three weeks to place
before President Wilson the case of
the eighty per cent of unorganized
railway employees.
EITHER together or singly, we
were daily at the White House during
the yeriod given over mainly by the
President TO consideration of the rail
way situation.
President Wilson would not re-
ceiYe your representatives, altho full
ly aware OF our presence and purpose
to ask for fair and impartial treat
ment for all railway employees in any
legislation that might be enact
ed
1.-THE President persisted in his de-
termination to secure the twenty-five
per cent wage increase, disguised as
an "eight-hour day." for the $780,
coz brotherhood members, and 20
give no consideration to the interests
OF the other 100000 railway en-
plOyes.
"Altho the President was holding
lengthy conferences daily with .Hn
brotherhood leaders, he would roc
receive your representatives even
for q few minutes. to present to him
the petition signed by 10000 rail-
way employee. and to ask for Justice
for the remainder of The unorganizcd
eighty per cent.
Later copies Of the petition, with
thousands Of signatures Which were
mailed 10 the President, apparently
resolved no attention from him.
"From the fact that the confer
cncos OF the President with the Board
OF Mediation, the managers and the
brotherhoods did not consume all Of
his time on any of the days during
that long period we are at a loss TO
understand why he would not even
h"av our side OF the case
I'VE feel in duty bound to give you
these facts as to the Adamson law:
"First II applies only to one class
of railway employes--the small class
engaged In railway train service.
second 1t does not attempt TO
establish a real eight-hour work day
for this class. but merely an eight
hour pay day.
"Third--It does not require any
empioye to work eight hours a day,
nor restrain him from working any
........,. - hn,,ro nnHar CIVILIAN