The Washington times., 1916-11-17

ed DR.. Van Hise, "the public must see
to II that they find some other way
to remedy those injustices rather
than by q general strike which will
bring suffering and disaster to the
He vent over in detail the events
leading up to passage of the Adam
SON law. He was chairman of the
Board of Arbitration In the great
Eastern railroad controversy Of 1912.
He emphasized the fact that II would
take time and care to find out which
side was justified in the contention
over the eight-hour standard. He de-
clsred he would want three or four
force OF experts and then could not
feel certain.
Law Rushed Through.
The Inference OF his statements
about the difficulty Of getting at the
facts was that the Adamson law was
damned through without any refer
ence to the facts, leaving the facts
to be determined later.
But while that is going on, he en-
phasised. the public has to foot the
bill and bear the burden.
ut H. unfortunate" he said. Ito
have this burden placed on the pub
whether'it Is reasonable for the pub.
lie to pay the bill.a
Condemned Failure.
He condemned failure to arbitrate
the dispute, saying that II the public
interest was paramount. then the men
t were .asr1or their own selfish In,
OF the nation" II they strike.
.n Whh,sther the pending election had
anything to do with what occurred;
't the Jus: Speaker a. able f SdF su ns
thousand men held up. the govern
mental power of the United States
and brought on this intolerabie situa-
shame. Now we are in the ignomin-
ious position that the same thing may
be repeated Indefinitely"
Congress Won't Wait"
Congressman 'Adamson, chairman Of
the House Committee on Interstate
Commerce, in a speech to the council.
predicted Congress would not wait on
Investigations to deal with the railroad
wage problem. He said I would 70
ahead and solve the problems before II.
That the eight-hour law is absolutely
constitutional" was the opinion Of Judge
Adamson.
As to n plan OF regulating wages by
governmental action, through q wage
commission or kindred action, Judge
Adamson said the railroads would
not consent to this because the pay OF
high officials of the roads would be
reduced. He declared Government
ownership would not work. AS for
Federal control instead OF the present
dual control by Federal and State
power, he said this was impossible
without amendemnt OF the Constitu-
ton.
Crisis Appears Near.
Signs Of war over the Adamson law
and grave complications over the rail-
road labor problem. as we'll as other
railroad problems. doomed large today.
That an acute crisis In the relations
of the railroads and their employees and
is not far ahead Is the view which IL
gaining ground rapidly in Washington
and in the great financial centers Of
the country.
railroad capital and labor controversy
Is steadily growing In gravity.
President Wilson may feel constrained
to call furthere conferences Of railroad
managers and brotherhood heads to avert
The heads OF the four brotherho Gods
are expected to reach Washington to-
morrow or by Monday at latest. They
are preparln to go before the Newlands
committee. They will also confer with
the President and while not osten-
sibly to talk over the Adamson law.
IL will be brought up.
Furthermore, there are strong signs
that n movement IL on to bring about
a close concert of action between the
brotherhoods and the Americai Fed
Grafton of Labor. The brotherhood
heads will address the convention of
the A. F. of L. at Baltimore Monday
or Tuesday. Dispatches from Balti-
more indicate the federation 10 get
ting raadv IN atand hack of the train