The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-12-28
INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC

The outstanding feature Of the year
In the industrial world was the threat
rned strike of the 100000 members Of
the four great railway brOtherhootlS.
which was prevented only by the pas
suge by congress Of the AdamsOn hill.
The demands Of the four brother
hoods. representing the engineers, fire
men. conductors and trainmrn, were
made upon the railroads early in the
year and after rruitless conferences
between the representatives of the
brothcrhoolS and the committee OF
general managers representing prac-
tically every railroad In the United
States. Il strike vote was taken among
the members of the brotherhoOdS. On
July 2G it was announced that tho
vote had been overwhelmingly In favor
OF strike unless the demands Of the
men were granted by the railroads.
The federal hoard of mediation i'm
mcdiately offered Its services In an ef-
fort TO prevent strike but on August
II the board announced that II had
been unable to bring about nn agree
ment and on the following day Presi-
dent Wilson summoned the general
managers committee md the brother
hoods representatives. to the White
House for q conference. This confer.
ence produced no result. the rallron
managers offering to submit the Who'll
controversy TO arbitration but tn,
brotherhood representatives refusing
10 agree to arbitration of their eight
hour day demands. August 20. Presi-
lHnl Wilson. with promise from the
brotherhood leaders that they could
rcscnd their strike order. already is
sued. If law were passed providing
for the placing of their wage scales
on an cight-hour basis. went before
congress ana asked the passage Of
three bills which he deemed neceS-
Sary To meet the situation. One of
these bills provided that "eight hours
shall be deemed the measure or stand
ard of days work for the purpose Of
reckoning the compensation for Srrv-
ices Of all employees" operating trains
in interstate traffic.
Other bills proposed by the president
provided for the compulsory submis-
sion Of rail labor disputes to board
president before a strike could be de.
clared and for government operation of
the railways In case OF military neccs.
Sity.
The bill embohying the provision for
The eight-hour basis for wages, known
MS the Adamson bill, was rushed
through the house September and
was passed by The senate September ..
The order for Il strike which was to
have gone int" effect September 4 was
then rescindcd. The session of con
grcss ended shortly afterwards and
consideration OF the other measures
proposed ny the president was post.
poned sn.iii the next session.
Strikes were in progress In n num-
ber of industries during the early part
of the year and some were marked by
scenes of violence. April "a, striking
employees Of the Westinghouse com.
pany, led by masked woman, rioted
in East Pittsburgh. Fatal strike riots
occurred at the Carnegie Steel works
in Braddock. Pa. May 9. A big strike
was started by the Chicago garment
workers May 3. Express drivers In
Chicago struck May is and consider
able violence marked the strike, ex.
press wagons being operated under no.
lice protection. July 13. state trooDs
wer.: sent to La Sale, Ill.,, to uuell
riots Of cement works strikers.
A strike Of street railway men
stopped all surface cars In the Dor.
oughs of Manhattan. Bronx and Rich.
mond. New York. August =, but the
strike ended two days later tempo
rarlly September 6, strike of all
men on the subway. elevated and sur
face lines In New York was called. |
Serious riots marked the street cnr
strike In New York, particularly on
October g.