New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-29
100000 R.R.MEN
FIGHT S-HOUR LAW
Unorganized WOrkersPre-
pairing Protest to
Congress

Chicago. Oct. 2s.-That the 100000
unorganized employees Of the railroads
ere not in accord with the Adamson
law is shown by the eagerness with
which they are signing petition tha'
IS being prepared for presentation 10
the Congress. A statement issued by
the employees so Per Cent Movement
outlines the railroaders' plan to appeal
10 the President and the next Congress
70 insist that all employees Of the rail-
ways be considered and commission
be appointed to investigate all hours
of service and wages.
The campaign is being directed by
Robert T. Frazier, jr.. and P. h. Wal
den. Headquarters have been opened
in the Transportation Building, chi
cage. ,-,o. diroc+
10 Congress, the next session OF the
national Legislature to be the battle
Ground where the fight will be waged.
Mir. Frazier has charge of the WORK
of getting the petition before Congress
Mr.. Walden is in control OF obtaining
signatures to the petition
Give thousand signatures were Cd
tanned on the Chicago 6 Alton road,
ont of seven thousand men eligible 10
sign said Mr.. Walden. Similar work
is going on on all the other railroads
az this moment"
Mr.. Frazier said he was trying to
keep their campaign out OF polltics.
He admitted that the Democrats were
making capital of the matter and doing
their best TO capture the entire LABOR
vote by saying President Wilson had
come out for an eight-hour law, and
added:
But the statement l have just is
sued shows the Adamson bill does not
establish an eight-hour working day.
A paragraph of the statement reads:
III does not attempt to establish a real
eight-hour work day for this class, put
merely an eight-hour pay day"
Another paragraph Of the statement
calls attention that the law does not
apply TO labor in general, but to only
very small proportion OF the rail
readers to only one-ifth Of the rail-
readers. in fact.
1T absolutely ignores the rights, the
welfare and even the existence OF the
other so per cent of railway employees"
says the statement.
In the statement. which is directed
10 the Friends and Associates Of the
Eighty Per Cent" Mr.. Frazier and IT
Walden tell Of their efforts to present
their petition to the President. I'VE
endeavored constantly for three weeks
20 place before President Wilson the
case of the so per cent Of railway en-
ployes not IN train service says the
statement Either singly or together
we were daily at the White House dur
ing the period given over mainly by
the President 10 consideration or the
railway situation. President Wilson
would not receive your representatives,,
although fully aware of our presence
and purpose. Although the
President was holding lengthy confer
ences daily with the brotherhood lead
ers. he would not receive your repre-
sentatives, even for a few minutes, TO
present the petition. Later, copies OF
the petition, with thousands of sigma
lures which were mailed 10 the Presl-
dent. apparently received no attention
from him" Copies Of letters and tele-
Grams which passed between Mr.. Fra
zier and the President, in which the
railroaders ask for hearing which the
President SAYS he cannot grant, are IN
cluded. In closing the statement says:
1--WE do not think that the enactment
Of the Adamson law. under attendant
circumstances, is in accordance with
the Fundamental principles Of the
American nation. and believe that in
asmuch as the government has taken
jurisdiction in the matter we should
as citizens appeal TO the President and
Congress al the next session Of Con-
gress and insist that all railway en-
ployes be considered and a commission
be appointed 10 investigate all hours
of service and wages Of all such en-