The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-31

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31.-Railroad
officials and representatives of the
trainmen's brotherhood appeared in
force today at the Senate lu.erstate
Commerce committee hearing on
President Wilson s legislative program
to prevent railroad strike.
Elisha Lee, chairman OF the mana.
gers committee, headed the delegation
OF railroad officials which included
President Underwood, OF the Erie;
President Willard, of the Baltimore
and Ohio; Samuel Rea, president OF
the Pennsylvania; Fairfax Harrison,
president Of the Southern, and r, s.
Lovett, chairman OF board of the Un.
ion Pacific.
Representing the men were A. B.
Garretson, w. G. Lee, w. S. Stone
and w. s. Carter, the four Brother.
hood heads.
Officials Of the American Fedora.
tion Of Labor headed by President
Gompers. Assistant Attorney General
Todd and D. 3. Clark, Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission. also were
present,
At the outset OF the hearing Senator
Newlands, chairman OF the commit.
tee. announced his purpose and said
none OF the proposed legislation In.
cluded compulsory arbitration. st
simply provides" he said, "in case Of
failure OF voluntary mediation and ar.
bitration for a government inquiry
and the story Of the action OF ali the
parties to the controversy until inyes.
tigation and reports could be made
leaving them free thereafter to act as
they might be advised"
. The Brotherhood representatives
were heard first. At the request OF
Mr.. Garretson 1t was agreed that the
Brotherhood leaders snould address
the committee two hours In opening
and an hour In closing.
Between those two periods repre-.
sentatiyes Of the employers and ship.
pers have six hours. He announced
that besides heads Of the Brotherhoods
Samuel Gompers, president Of the
American Federation Of Labor, also
would speak.
Mr.. Garretson then began with a
general review Of the conditions which
led to the present situation.
It was the belief OF labor organiza.
tions he said, that differences between
employers and employees should not
be settled by legislation but rather be.
tween themselves. "The success of
any labor organization lies to an ex.
tent in its militancy." he said. "We
are In a grip Of power greater than
We are and 1t Is unfortunate that the
situation has arisen but / believe II a
settlement can be effected by Congress
even though we are opposed to legis.
latiye settlement we are willing to
waive the age old tradition agains,
1t. Such settlement In this contro.
versy ill be desirable in the circum.
stances"
"As an ethical proposition" he said,
there Is no more reason by a man
should be worked more than eight
hours than there is that he should be
worked "a. In the application of the
principle difficult situation arises.
To-day" he said, thousands OF men
throughout the country are working
from 10 to 16 hours Of which there is
no complete record" I'VE believe.
said Mr.. Garretson, "that questions
affecting society take precedence over
economics. We believe the human
element should be considered regard.
less Of Its effect on dividends.
To postpone the strike after the men
had voted for 1t, Garretson said would
mean disintegration Of the Brother
hood and turning over to the mob OF
the trains as in 1877 and 1894"
Mr.. Garretson added that he wanted
to assure the Senators that the Broth.
erhoods were not opposed to arbitra.
ton. Under ordinary processes Of
our policy" said Garretson, 1--WE would
be out Of accord with all of the five
propositions made by the President,
but in the hope Of effecting settle
ment we are willing to waive many
deeply rooted principles and we are
willing to aid in the passage Of ;leg.
81 r z Z II + II