Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-11-21
STRIKE QUESTION
TO Be ANSWERED
LATER SAYS STONE
lntirlation Is That General
Strike May Not Follow
Present Dispute
MAY SOON UNITE WITH
FEDERATION OF LABOR
Railroads Want To Get Rid Of
Control by State Railroad
Commissions
BY Carl D. Groat.
Omitted Press staff correspondent.) }.


Baltimore, Md, Nov. 2l.-"There ;.
going TO be an eight-hour day on the
railroads-or there's some unfinished
business before this country
| In this manner today Warren S. Stone
head of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers, answered the question OF
whether the railroad brotherhoods will
call a strike if pending injunction pro
| ceedings tie up the operation of the
Adamson eight law.
Speaking in response, to an enthus.
iastiG welcome given himself and the
heads of three other brotherhoods by
tion of Labor convention, Stone declar-
ed.
Labor will watch from the sidelines
while the railroads fight their own gov
eTnneut.'
Efforts to obtain from the other
brotherhood leaders an expression of
their purpose in the matter were fruit
less, Notwithstanding President Comp
er's assertion from the platform:
ave expect thee sbrotherhoods on the
first day of January TO inaugurate the
eight hour day 49,
Affiliation OF the brotherhoods with
| the American Federation of Labor with
in short time seemed likely at the
conclusion of the four leaders visit
to the convention.
A general railroad strike January ]
may not follow as the result of the pres
ent situation growing out of the Adam
sou law dispute.
This Interpretation was placed today
on remarks of Chief Stone of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers that
the question Of such strike twill be
answered later" The element of doubt
regarding his remarks arises from the
fact that last week in New York, broth
erhood chiefs flatfootedly said there
would be strike if they did not get a
real eight hour day.
Will Await Test.
Now it is believed, the brotherhoods
will be content to await test of con-
stitutionality Of the Adamson eight hour
measure. The brotherhoods, however,
are shrouding their movements in an ev-
en- deeper secrecy than that which mark.
ed their program when they threatened
strike last sumner
Today the brotherhood chiefs are in
Baltimore to speak before the American
Federation of Labor convention - a
move that portends cooperation be-
tween them and the railway department
of the federation TO force an eight hour
day in all branches of railroad service.
At the same time. the department of
Justice and the brotherhoods legal de-
partment are ready for the opening of
the Adamson tests Thursday when the
Union Pacific and Santa Fe start their
suits at Kansas City. The course taken
by the crew in these cases will be vital
and upon its action will probably rest
the final decision of the brotherhoods
as to whether there shall be q strike.
The Newlands committee investiga-
tion OF the general subjects of rela-
lions between railroads and the general
public will continue with the railroads
putting forth proposals for alleviation
of what they regard as an irksome con-
dition. They will fight particularly for
elimination OF control by state railroad
commissions.
The question Of wages has been min
imized to date but when brotherhood
leaders return, they probably will ask
hearing and preciPitate sharp discus
sion on that point.