The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1916-09-07
RAILROAD STRIKE AvERTED

This action followed a day Of de-
bate, much Of which was conducted pn.
der circumstances singularly dramatic.
It concluded two weeks Of suspense, dur
ing which the nation had been con-
fronted with a strike order set to be-
come operative on the great railroads
on September 4.
The strike has been averted. Tonight
the brotherhood leaders telegraphed 600
odd code messages to their general
chairman in all parts of the country
cancelling the strike order issued a
week ago. The president will sign the
bill at the White House this morning.
The bill incorporated only two of the
six measures suggested by President
Wilson to congress.
1t provides:
l. An eight hour day for all en-
ployees engaged in operating trains on
interstate railroads with the same pay
as now given for ten hours work and
pro rata overtime.
Both Idaho senators worked against
the bill and senator Borah says:
The eight-hour day bill is vicious
from every conceivable standpoint.
l. 1t does not settle or purport to
settle the difficulty, except in tenn
porary way.
2. It does not establish an eight
hour day at all, but it does undertake
to increase wages for stated length of
ten hours pay for eight hours work,
q matter most doubtful in constitutional
law and even more doubtful in morals.
This increase of wages, of course, ulti-
mately will be passed on to the people,
who pay the freight. We are therefore
undertaking by law, without any hear
ing upon the part of those who ulti-
mately must pay it, to fix a large in
| crease Of burden, and if it should re-
main permanent, tremendous increase.
In addition to that, while it has been
said that society sanctions an eight
hour day, this bill does not purport to
establish an eight-hour day, but to in
crease wages, and it does not purport
to increase the wages of more than 20
per cent of the employees Of the rail
roads. About so per cent Of these EN-.
ployees, some Of whom receive very
low wages and perform arduous serv-
ices, are not benefited by this bill. The
bill purports to cover only those who
are actually operating the trains. The
other 80 per cent are left out entirely.
Labor will sometime regard as ire
mendous error this whole proposition. 1t
will hurt organized labor, it has de-
bauched and demoralized the senate be-
cause we have cravenly yielded, and it
has worked injustice to the great body
of American people.
1t is the most shameless, cowardly
surrender that I have ever witnessed
from town council to United States SEN
ate.
l will venture to say that if this mat
ter were submitted to the railroad en-
ployees at this hour with all the facts
to this instant they would repudiate the
whole action, they would refuse to
strike and they would give the con-
gress of the United States ample time
in which to work out an intelligent,
comparative plan to protect all parties.
l have had a vast amount to do with
organized labor under all circumstances
and conditions. / have never yet seen
a proposition fair and just to all parties
submitted to the rank and file of Or
ganized labor without meeting thier ap-
proval. Their leaders, like political
leaders, do not always represent the
rank and file.
When this thing is all over, the whole
country, the entire body Of congress
and the executive will feel that they
have gone through humilating, a COM
promising and sorry transaction.
President f. p. Ripley of the Atchi
son, Topeka & Santa Fe railway said
that he was sorry the question had
not come to critical test.
81 am sorry it has been called off, -
Ripley said. 1.-THE Adamson bill does
not become effective until January l.
Between now and then we can decide
what to do.
Ripley was asked if his railroad plan
ned an immediate test Of the law in
the courts.
Law to be Tested
81 can t say just when we will do
anything he replied, "but the law
surely will be tested.'
Heads of other western railroads an
nounced they would take no precipitate
court action against the Adamson law,
but would wait until the measure had
been thoroughly Investigated.
Railway executives declared that the
period of time during which strike
| seemed imminent, necessitated extraor
binary expenses, including strikebreak-
ers, on the part of the railroads, that
will total perhaps into the millions.
Informed by the Associated Press
that the senate had passed the bill,
Hale Holden, president of the Chicago
Burlington e. Quincy, declared the rail
ways would not discommode the public
by any precipitate action.
Wait for Investigation
@ 1t is my helief,' he said, "that we
will wait for the government investi-
cation provided by the bill before tax.
ing any action against it.
'The cost to the railroads of the
threatened strike has already run high
| until we have been under extraordin-
bn 10 10,