The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-04
Predict Universal Eight Hour
Day for All Labor.
Unions to Recorder Strike II
Roads Balk on Law.
MEANS S6O. 100000 EXTRA
But Employees Figure 1t, $780,
100000 Increase Pay.
Wilson to Sign Bill Again to
Insure Its Legality.

Washington. Sept. "A lingerins
year of warfare still clung to the rail-
brotherhoodS today. Tho reasonably
confident the eight hour bill, now u
law. means year of peace on he rail
lines. brotherhood men frankly said
there will be a strike If the transporta-
ton chiefs ever try to restore the ten
hour system.
They thought the railroads may test
the constitutionality of the measure
which President Wilson signed yester-
day; but If the courts deem it uncon-
stitutional and then the lines try to
revert to ten hours, the strike threaS
of recent weeks will be renewed.
The more optimistic say the wage
commission created by the eight hour
law will find that the mems cause is
just. In this event, they say the rail-
roads are scarcely likely to overturn
the law, constitutional or unconstitu-
tional Further. the fact that the
brotherhoods are ready and willing to
aid the lines in getting rate increases.
if such are necessary, is regarded as
a peace overture the roads will not
scorn.
Affects UnOrganized Men, Too.
Only A. B. Garretson, w. S. Carter
and w. S. Stone of the brotherhood
heads remained here today.
l. w. G. Lee. trainmens leader. re-
turned to Cleveland last night He
said:
Passage of the eight hour bill will
| the unorganized laborers of the coun-
| try. 1t will show the latter what or
| ganization can accomplish and it will
be the beginning of a. universal eight
hour system"
| In view of the fact that some per-
sons have questioned the legality of a
bill signed on Sunday, President VIII
son will again sign the document to-
morrow.
Only Two Democrats Against Bill.
~
Hardwick of Georgia and Clarke of
Enthusiastically voted, against the
| bill, and one Republican-La Toilette
of Wisconsin-voted for It.
| Railroad officials have declared
that the action of congress will cost
creased wages to the trainmen. Broth
erhood officials say the enactment
will mean not more than an annual
increase of 20 million.
| Senator Reed asserted that a Quor-
| um of the house was not in Washing
| ton when the senate passed the bill;
| that it therefore would have been i'm
| possible to pass the bill If amended
in any particular, in time to avert the
| strike Monday and congress would be
| blamed for the disaster If it were not
| stayed in accordance with the plans
| designed by house leaders.
| The majority of the senator's adj
mitted that they were afraid to
| change the dotting or an = or tne
| crossing of "t' in the house bill, for
fear that it might serve to forestaI
prevention of the strike.
E,rror Almost Caused Walkout-
Houston, Tex, Sept. A strike OF
all trainmen on the Southern Pacific
lines in Louisiana and Texas was
averted here by the timely discovery
and correction of an error in the code
message sent revoking the general
railway strike order following the
passage by congress of the eight-hour
law.
The code message as received here
by ]. L. Morgan, chairman of the
| Southern Pacific Texas and Louisiana
lines did not revoke the order to strike
and preparations were continuing for
the trainmen to quit work at o'clock
this morning. The error fortunately
was discovered, and another message
was sent to Houston, resulting in the
abandonment of strike plans at 8
o'clock Saturday night
| Just what the error was or how Il
occurred had not been disclosed early
today.