The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-09-06

ciurO tOnSreSS was COerCeO, into
ActiOn-TO Take Effect january 1.
of general railroad strike, which has
been hanging like pail over the
country for nearly month was lifted
tonight.
Three hours after ,the senate had
passed without amendment the Adam
son eight hour day bill, passed by the
house yesterday. the heads of the four
great railroad employees brother
hoods telegraphed 600-odd code mes
sages to their general chairmen in all
parts Of the country cancelling the
strike order issued a week ago to
take effect next Monday morning at
z o'clock.
The legislative expcdient to avert
the strike was passed in the senate
by a vote of AZ to 2S--almost O strict
party vote--amid stirring scenes. af-
ter many senator's, Democrats and
Republicans. had fought desperately
to amend the measure by provisions
designed to prevent Industrial disas-
ters. in the future. Some senator's.
thoroughly aroused, declared congress
was being coerced into enactment of
legislation that it did not desire, and
that 1t knew would return to plague
1t In the future. So,
In both, houses the measure was
signed within few minutes after a
final vote in the senate.
Officials of the brotherhoods, who
witnessed the final passage Of the bill
had announced early In the night that
cancellation of the strike would not
be ordered until the bill hAd sheen
signed by the president ana Actually
had pecopis Jaw, Rut latsr tf}S kon-,
|{syEpl aafel = Il ft 3.
the 6AtA6g SiHi eH of the country
through their chairmen the message
that a satisfactory settlement had
been secured. ~
= The bill that stopped the strike pro-
'vides that after January 1. 1917. eight
hours shall be regarded us basis of
reckoning for a days pay for men
engaged in the operation Of railroad
train in interstate commerce, Except
ing roads less than 100 miles long
and electric lines.) that they shall re-
ceive pro rata pay for work in ex-
cess Of eight hours and that their
rate Of compensation shall not be
changed pending an investigation for
from six to nine months of the effect
Of the eight-hour day upon the rail-
roads by commission to be appoint
ed by the president.
Efforts to amend the bill in the
senate were futile. the supreme effort
to alter it having been led by Senator
Underwood, who sought to provide
that the interstate commerce commits
sion should have power to fix rail-
road wages and hours of service in
the future. This amendment was de-
feated by vote Of 81 to a..
Only two Democrats, Senators Hard
wick, of Georgia, and Clarke, of Ar
kansas, voted against the bill, and one
Republican, LaFollette, of Wisconsin,
voted for it.
In the debate on the Adamson bill
Senator Borah said he doubted If the
price about to be paid would "cure the
patient" He had his own views, he
said, Of the ability of the four broth
erhood's chiefs to call off the strike,
but he was certain the great body of
trainmen never would carry the strike
order out If they were assured that
the president and congress were Sc
riously investigating with a view to
legislation. No severer indictment
could be drawn against their charac-
ter and intelligence. he said, than to
say they would not accept such assur-
ance.
If congress cannot proceed to con-
slider this deliberately and with all
facts at hand" he asked, then it is
truly yielding to dictation. If that
Is tho situation, then congress has
reached the greatest crisis of it's
whole history :. and the halo that
has lowered over the body for years
Will soon be dissolved.
Il warn union labor that the amend
ment to give the interstate commerce
commission authority to fix wages is
the inevitable logic of the position we
VIII occupy when we pass this bill
When they accept this bill the union
men will have conceded the right Of
Congress or other governmental tri-
70