The sun., 1916-12-28
big FOUR CHIEFS
FACE 3 SETBACKS
Union Leaders and Railroad
Managers Confer on Adam
son Law To-day.
MANAGERS BAN ALLIANCE
Companies Won't Aid Repeal
of 8 Hour Law or With
draw Test Suit.

Three Of the objects for which the
Big Four" br%otherhoods entered into
negotiation with the National Confer
ence Committee of Railroad Managers
seemed yesterday. on the eve Of the
conference. fordoomed to failure. This
IL the prospect the chiefs Of the brother.
hoods face to-day:
No consent or cooperation will be
given by the railroads to the brother
hoods plan to have the Adamson law
repealed.
II was the hope of the brotherhood
leaders that the railroad managers.
DESTROYS Of defeating the eight hour
law. would enter into an alliance with
the unions to achieve this result. in
return for which the railroads were
expected to help defeat President Will
sons proposed policy OF compulsory
investigation Of labor disputes. No
such alliance will be established.
The railroads will not withdraw the
test suit on the eight hour act. Moth
ing will be interposed to halt the de-
cision Of the United States Supreme
Court on the constitutionality Of the
law.
One Chance for Success.
The single remaining factor In the dis
cussion-the appointment Of q joint
board to determine the operation Of the
Adamson act, II Il Is upheld-probably
will be the only object in which tn,
brotherhoods have q chance for success
Through an agreement yesterday be
tween Attorney-General Gregory snt
railroad attorneys the effectiveness o.
the Adamson law has been suspended
pending the outcome Of the test suit
Therefore On January 1 the employee,
will continue their work without an,
immediate benefits from the law. which
was to go into operation that day.
However. The commission appointed
by President wilson. Of which Major
Gen. George w. Cocktails Is chairman
will begin its scrutiny into railroa,
earnings on New Years Day. Alread,
1t has set down "A set Of regulations 70
the roads and the employees to enabl
II to gather its statistics. In the even
that the Supreme Court sustains the iav
the wage advantages Incorporated in l
will be given to the employees from
January /.
Men Anticipate Defeat.
II Ia understood from recent circula
letters sent out by the brotherhoods tina
they anticipate the defeat OF thci
project to have the law stricken out q
existence. Also. they seem sure tn
roads will not abandon the case now q
h courts. Hence. they have decided I
concentrate their energies to head Of
the enactment of n measure hat com
peis investigation Of disputes before tn
declaration OF a strike.
This plan to fight compulsory invest
cation will bring them into battle wit
the President. In expectation 81 thi
they are perfecting an alliance for OF
fensive purposes with the America
federation OF Labor.
asst summer when they accepted tn
Presidents eight hour law he told ther
there must be no recurrence Of the crisi
that impended then. Mr.. Wilson CAV
them warning hat hc would strive 10
the enactment OF a law that would spar
the country a general strike. In hi
message at the opening of Congress tn
| month he repeated his determination I
| put through the compulsory investiSa
| ton law.
Labor Plans Bombarded.
On top of this william G. Adamsol
who fathered the eight hour law, Al
nounced he Is to he sponsor to III
Presidents programme. lie gave motto
a week ago that he will try to bring IL
| bill before Congress after the holidays.
SO Congress and the President are d.
for a bombardment. not only from h
erstwhile friends, the big Four" b,
from. every branch OF the America
Federation Of Labor. Tho prospecti'
assault has not yet been shaped. but tn
much ran be guaranteed: Every men
her Of Congress will hear from his col
s~tituency either by telegram. letter
resolutions. All trades are to Join vii
the brotherhoods and every infuen'
they can exert will be brought forwar
The big Four chiefs will not aba
don their conference with the roads III
I'll they strive to induce the manage
TO form a board with them for the del
milton Of the law. Even II the cou
does uphold It no decision a cover a
the intricacies OF ~railroading these ".