The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-11-20
Dental campaign just closed.
Harmony Is the Purpose.

harmony Is UIlC
Yesterdays agreement was the di-
rect result Of dissatisfaction among
those branches Of railway workers
which did not benefit by the Adamson
eight-hour law. There were ind1ca-
tons in the political campaign that
shOpmen and others not members or
the four brotherhoods felt that they
were the victims of the selfshness OF
the trainmen. Straw votes taken In
some railway shops showed that the
workers there would not follow the
lead Of the brotherhoods in seeking the
consolidate the votes of all railway
workers for the Democratic national
ticket. While President Wilson prob
ably received the greater percentage
Of the labor vote than any other can
didate for President in any election, it
was apparent that the labor vote had
not been consolidated in some of the
great labor centres.
What was said after the secret
meeting at the headquarters of the
american Federation of Labor indi-
Gated that the railway workers aff1l-.
lated with the Federated unionists had
been placated by the arrangement,
and would now use their influence to
bring about the concession Of an eight
hour day for all railway workers, and
would join the brotherhoods in pre-
venting adverse legislation by. Con-
gress.
The easy manner in which the broth
erhoOds brought about the enactment
of the Adamson law has shown the
trainmen and their fellow-la borers
that through concerted effort they can
accomplish practically anything they
desire in the way of obtaining or pre-
venting legislative enactments in
Washington.
It is generally realized that the pas
sage of the Adamson law did not end
the fight between the railroads and the
brotherhoods for the railway eight
hour day. The Adamson law is mere
ly temporary expedient-a stop
gap-designed to prevent a general
railway strike, according to the ex-
PLANTATION made by it's advocates at
the time it was before Congress. It
provides for the appointment OF a spe-
clal commission which is to study and
report to Congress on the effect Of the
eight-hour day on the railroads and
their employees. The law win become
enecttve on Jan 1 next, SO that the
commission will not be able to make
q report for some time after that date.
In the meanwhile, or shortly after the
commissions report has been submit
ted, Congress win have the opportu-
nifty OF enacting other legislation at
fecting railway workers.
On account of this condition the
tra1nmen have no assurance that Con-
gress will make the eight-hour day a
permanent institution. The brother
hoods have been opposed to having
Congress enact railway labor legisla-
ton. They preferred to accomplish
what they were seeking through ne
gotiations with the railroads them
selves, trusting to the threat of a gen.
eral transportation strike, or by par
alyzing the transportation system of
the country through strike, to bring
the railroads to their terms.
The Brotherhoods are opposed par
ticularly to President Wilson's rec
omrnendation Of a compulsory investi-
cation law, as this would curtail the
power OF the railway unionists to OBJ
tain the granting of their demands
through strikes, and their opposition
to this part Of the Presidents legisla-
tive program was emphasized by the
agreement today on the part of
.D1OthSIuOO S1lo CIdllOlllSLS TO
use their combined influence to fight
the President should he attempt to in
clude compulsory investigation in his
outline of proposed laws affecting rail-
ways to be laid before Congress next
month.
Representative Adamson, author of
the eight-hour law, has an engage
ment to see the President today and
Major Gen. Goethals, head OF the
Eight-Hour Commission, expects to be
called to the White House in a day or
two. The President hopes to see his
program enacted early in the session
Of Congress. so as to have the meas
ure on the statute books before the
eight-hour law becomes effective.
The joint committee hearings be-
ginning today will continue Indefinite
1y and deal with every phase of the
cOuntry'S railway problems.