New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-08
THE TRIUMPH OF MOBOCRACY
The Victory Brohhoods Over the President and
and What 1t Means Politically and Economically
The Probable Policy of the Railroads.

this measure are so palpabe and vital that
il is inconceivable it can ever go into effect
First it was passed under duress. Every
body in the United States knows that Con-
gress never seriously considered enacting
such o law until President Wilson demanded
that this price be paid instantly to buy of
those who were threatening strike. Sec
ond. the law does not provide for an eight
hour day. 1t merely provides that the rail-
ways pay employees in their train service a
days pay for eight hours work II does not
provide that train employees shall give the
railways eight hours work for a days pay.
II does not provide that any train employe
shall quit work at the end of eight hours,
but By requiring them to be paid overtime
after eight hours il clearly contemplates
that they shall WORK any number Of hours
I'D to the sixteen-hour limit fixed by the
hours of service act. Third, it attempts TO
provide that the wages paid for the basic
ten-hour day shall be the minimum paid for
the basic eght-hour day. Is there lawyer
in the United States who believes such a
provision is constitutional? 1t is certainly
the first law of such a character relating to
the hours and wages Of any class of EN-
p!oyes of private business concerns ever
passed in the history of the world. Fourth,
the law dscriminates between IS per cent Of
railway employees who come within its terms
and the 81 per cent who do not, for 1t says
nothing about the work or wages of the
latter.
If the inconceivable should happen, and
this measure should be upheld, the second
step which the railways should take also is
plain. Their present contracts with the train
employees are based on miles run as well as
hours worked. In other words, any employe
whose train runs 100 miles receives a days
wage, even though the run takes only two or
three hours. The employees having got a
law passed which bases their wages entirely
on hours the railways, if this measure is
upheld, should promptly cancel all provs-
ions in the schedules pertaining TO the mile
age basis of compensation and require all
their men in train service, passenger and
freight. to work or hold themselves in readi-
ness TO work at least eight hours day.
These employees have seen fit to refuse to
accept arbitration OF their demands and to
threaten to tie up all the railways OF the
country and TO PROSTATE its commerce and
industry in order TO gain their end. Their
threat of strike having proved futile, they
went to Washington and coerced the govern
ment. The railway arrangements thus far
nave met tne issue SquhreIy. lney snOuIu
continue to do So Since these employees
are so anxious to have their wages based on
hours. they should be given full opportunity
if this law is upheld, to work at least eight
hours day.
Doubtless if the railways attempt entirely
70 abolish the mileage basis OF pay the
country will be confronted again with
threat Of strike. Very good. II is unfortu-
nate from the standpoint of both the rail-
ways. and the country that the strike was
sverted this time, since It had to be averted
by the destruction of our form Of govern
ment and the substitution of mobocracy.
The arrangements are confident that if the
strike had come they would have won IT, and
If the train employees should strike rather
than work eight hours day there can be
no doubt that the railways would whip them.
The railways should take the stand from
now on that if they must pay days wage
for eight hours work they must be given AZ
least eight hours work for a days pay. and
they should maintain this stand regardless
of consequences