The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-12-30
IS R. R. STRIKE
THREATENED?
ACT OF BROTHERHOOD i
MEN IS MYSTERIOUS
Put Next Step Up to Member
ship in Circular-Decline
to Explain Action.

NEW YORK, Dec. 29.-Special cir.
; culars putting UP to the 100000 MEM
bers responsibility for the next step to
be taken by the railroad brotherhoods
! in their controversy with the railroads
over the application and Interpretation
Of the Adamson act were sent broad
cast by telegraph after conference Of
. the four brotherhood chiefs here to-
, day. Announcement Of the action Ia
ken was made by William G. Lee,
president OF the Brotherhood Of Rail
way Trainmen, prior to his departure
for the west. He was accompanied by
! the other brotherhood leaders, whose
conference with the railway managers.
yesterday resulted in a disagreement.
Earlier in the day the four chiefs is.
sued a somewhat cryptic statement
over their signatures, declaring that
the attitude Of the railroads threatened
to wipe out the benefits that should:
accrue to the men from the passage OF
, the Adamson act, and asserting That
for that reason 1.-The entire situation ts
10 be placed before the membership"
! The chiefs refused to say whether
/ the action was a yelled threat Of an
other strike vote such as brought
! about the 8-hour day legislation. The
statement follows:
The Statement. -
while meeting with President VII
son last August, at his 1nsistence, our
committee waived their request for
time and half for overtime, which
was fully SO per cent OF their original
demand, and at the suggestion OF the
president accepted his proposition,
which was:
Concession OF the eight hour day.
"Postponement of the other demand
as to the payment for overtime. and
the counter suggestion OF the railway ,,
managers, until experience actually
discloses the consequences OF the
eight hour day.
I'm the meantime, the constitution
by authority of the congress Of COM!
mission or body of men. appointed by
! the president, to observe, investigate
and report upon these concessions
without recommendation.
Then such action upon the facts as
1.-THE parties Of the present controversy
may think best.
, Our men believed, In SO doing,
they would secure the eight hour
basic day at. once, but the enactment
of the Adamson eight.hour law, effec.
tive January /, 1917, made it neces-
sary for them to wait patiently until
that time, to find later that the rail
road companies. instituted injunction
proceedings against the governments
enforcement OF the eight-hour law and
at this time the entire matter Is in It'll.
CATION making it impossible for the
special committee, appointed b. TIC
president, as provided for in the law,
ito proceed with their investigation as
OF January I, and the probability OF
additional litigation being commenced
BY the railroads even though the law
lis declared constitutional by the su-
preme court, will seriously a1ect such
Investigation, in fact, can and likely
will, delay the investigation until the
commission cannot make its inyestiga-
tion as the law contemplates, thereby
defeating the intent of the law and at
the same time postpone. the Dement'S
promised by the law, which will un-
quesiionably meet with general dis
satisfaction among the membership
, Of the railroad organizations.
Before the Members.
"The entire situation Is to be placed
before the membership by special cir
! cular.'
The brotherhood chiefs declined poe.
itively TO interpret their statement.
Mr.. Lee was asked to explain whether
the statement meant that new strike
vote might be ordered.
You may make your interpretation,
was the. reply.
What Interpretation Is the public to
maker" he was asked.
Let the public make It's own inter-