Denver labor bulletin., 1916-11-25
Seek to Enjoin Operation
OF the Federal Law
Burlington, Union Pacific, Santa
Fe and Colorado 6 Southern
Ask U. S. Court for Help;
May Not Be Tried

Injunction suits to prevent the gov
ernment and the railroad brotherhoods
from making effective the Adamson
eight t-hour law have spread westward
INTO Colorado. The Santa Fe, the Union
Pacific and the Burlington roads have
nled suits In the United States Dis
trict Court against the engineers, con-
ductors, firemen and trainmeu's broth
erhoods, as well as against Harry B.
1edrow, United States district attorney.
Ihe suits make the claim that the Ad-
amson law is unconstitutional, being a
discriminatory wage measure of sucb a
nature as to deprive the railroads of
their property without due process OF
law.
These suits are similar to those being
filed by various railroad comnanies
thruout the country and are for the
purpose OF preventing the railroad broth
erhoods, thru their attorneys, or the
United States district attorneys. from
starting prosecutions against the roads
ior failure to obey the letter of the
law
May Never Come to Trial.
1t is doubtful, however, if the cases
filed in Denver will ever come to trial
II Is expected that the attorney general
OF the United States will agree with the
counsel for the Eastern railroads on some
federal court where the issue will be
trled. !his court will hear the case on
ITS merits and then an appeal will be
taken to the supreme court OF the Unit
ed States.
In the suits filed in Denver the three
roads assert that $1,000 trainmen. fin.
men, engineers and conductors are di-
rectly affected. 1t was reported that
the Denver and Rio Grande. Colorado 4
southern and the Denver L Salt Lake
railroads would file initial suits in the
same court this week.
Following the lines of suits filed in
Eastern courts, all three bills were in
lunctiye in nature and ask that United
states District Attorney Tedrow be re-
strained from prosecuting violation of
the act and eighteen officials of the va
rious railroad brotherhoods in Colorado
are named as co-defendants and the
railroads seek TO enjoin them from aid
ing in any prosecution.
Burlington Cites Ten Defendants.
United States Marshal Samuel j Bur-
RS and his deputies We're busy during
the fore part of this week serving court
summons upon the defendants.
The burlington has made as co-defend-
ants ten members of the brotherhoods in
Denver, including F. B. Searles local
chairman of the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers. and Frank Hawks
worth. an engineer; f. R Lawton. local
chairman of the Order of Railroad Con-
ductors, and T. c. Hughes, conductor:
F. F. Stafford, local chairman of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, and
L \. Carver; H. A Hustled. chairman
Of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men. and George Nicholson: W. E. Sc
cord. local chairman of the Switchmen's
Union Of America, and T. Mascow.
The Union Pacific names the local
chairmen of the organizations in Dem
Yer, including J. J. Murphy, chairman
Order OF Railway Conductors; D. l. Nc
Bride. Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
ginecrs; H. f. Gallagher. Brotherhood
OF Locomotive Firemeu; F. E. Blake,
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.
Twenty Days to Make Reply.
The defendants named by the Santa
Fe are given as residents of Colorado,
and include w. F. Smythe. Order of
Railway Conductors: C w. Hurst.
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers,
and L H DinEman. Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen.
The suits filed ask for a Temporary
injunction and a permanent injunction
restraining me, an officer of the fed
eral government. from enforcing the
Aiamson act said United States Dis
trict Attorney Tedrow. "I was served
with summons in the cases, and have
twenty days in which to make reply.
No date has been asked for hearing on
the temporary Injunction. but the at
torneys may come into court at anv
time and ask for the temporary re
straiut, but iuasmuch as the law does
not go into effect until January l. I
Continued on Pag, Eourl