Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1916-10-07

not a new development. II began a
year ago. 1t was already acute six
months ago. When the brotherhoods
announced they were goinS to de-
mand basic eight-hour day" they
began by saying they would not arbi-
trate, but would tie up all the trans
portation lines of the country If the
componies did not concede what they
wanted. The railways were determ-
ined to give them nothing without
arbitration. II was therefore fore
seen from the start by all close OBJ
servers that the danger of terrible
strike was real and serious. The
railways spared neither effort nor
money to get this fact before the ad-
ministrauon, Congress. and the pub
| lie. But the administration and Con-
gress were apathetic. Judge w. l.
Chambers Of the federal mediation
and Cancellation board even gave out
statements to the effect that this body
was watching developments and was
confident there would he no strike,
Business Men Get I'm
The Chamber OF Commerce Of the
United States, the greatest organiza-
ton of business interests in the coun-
try, became concerned about the stu
alton and submitted to it's members
a resolution asking the President and
Congress to cause an investigation OF
the entire wage situation by the In
terstate Commerce Commission
Meantime, on April 8, meetings OF
members OF the labor brotherhoods
were held at St Louis in which ad-
dresses were made by W. 8. Stone
| grand chief of the Brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers, and w. G.
Lee, president of the Brotherhood OF
Railroad Trainmen. At one of these
meetings both Lee and Stone made
the statement that they were abso-
lutely confident of winning out, but
that they were going to do certain
thing which only the presidents OF
! the four brotherhoods knew about,
on that they did not propose TO tell
anyone what this was but that II
/ would be the deciding factor in win
ming out in this fight" The report
OF this meeting, containing the words
quoted, has been in our possession
four months. Until within the last
two weeks we were never able to get
a clue to the meaning of those words.
On June 10, the conferences be-
tween the representatives of the
brotherhoods and the Conference
Committee OF the Railways began In
! New York. Disagreement resulted
and the railways offered arbitration
either by the Interstate Commerce
Commission or under the Newlands
act The employees refused both and
went out to take strike vote.
Meantime, the vote OF the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States
was reported, and was found to be
almost unanimous in favor of an in
vestigation by the Interstate Com
merce Commission. The Chamber OF
| Commerce resolution was sent to
President Wilson. He ignored 1t. II
was presented to Congress. Chair
man Adamson of the House Commit
tee on Interstate and Foreign Com
merce is a close political friend and
supporter of President Wilson. Or
July IL Mr.. Adamson arose in his
place and explained that he was op'
posed to the Chamber of Commerce
resolution because he and Mr.. Mann
the Republican leader, had "investi'
gated to see whether there would be
any strike. l will not say where We
went" he added, "but we were as
sured by the representatives OF the
employees that there would be nc
walkout and they did not mean to
stop the wheels" Mr.. Mann prompt
ly denied he had talked with repre-
sentatives of the employees. The
strike vote was actually being taken;
and vet representatives of the admin
istration and leaders Of the brother
hoods continued to give out state
ments that they were confident that
there would be no strike. The spokes'
men of the administration gave nc
reason for the faith that was in them
The spokesmen of the brother said
they were sure there would be nc
strike because the railways would
yield.
H. A. Wheeler, chairman or the
Railroad Committee of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States
finally sent direct to President Wilson
long telegram pressing upon him
the seriousness OF the situation and
urging action on the Chamber OF
Commerce resolution. This, appar-
emily, was received at the White
House in the same cool spirit as all
other representations from the Cham
Der of Commerce on the subject.
Finally, Strike Vote Finished.
Finally, the strike vote was finish
ed. 1t was to be presented to the
railways in New York on the morning
of August s. Two days before. on
the evening of August 6, the brother
hoods held a public meeting in New
York at which they were arressed by
some more or less distinguished
speakers. But the most marked sue