The Clayton citizen. [volume] (Clayton, Union County, N.M.) 1906-19??, 1916-11-16

OF the Adamson law, President Lee of
the Order of Trainmen announced this
morning before he left for New York,
where big conference of the railroad
managers and the heads of the four
brotherhoods will be held.
This statement is taken as indicat-
ing that the brotherhoods are expect
ing them to evade he law.
New York, Nov. 13.-Danger of a
nationwide railroad strike, which was
believed to have been averted by the
passage of the Adamson eight-hour
law, has not entirely disappeared. 1t
developed here today, when represen-
tatives of the railroads and the four
brothsrhoods, comprising 100000 en-
ploys, failed to reach an agreement
as to the proper application of the
new law. The stumbling block, both
sides admitted, was the existing mil
age system of compensation.
The announcement of the latest
deadlock between the railroads and
their employees came at the conclu-
sion of an all-day conference between
the national conference committee of
the railways and the brotherhood
chiefs, which had been arranged in
September.
ave met" said Elisha Lee, chair
man of the railroad managers and
the conference, ITO exchange ideas on
the application and operation Of the
Adamson law. We failed to reach an
agreement, and we are not certain
that another meeting will take place {"
Strike is Hinted
William G. Lee, president of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen,
spokesman for the employees in the
absence of A. B. Garreston of the Or
der Of Railway Conductors, declared
in a statement that in the event Of
evasion by the railroads of the Adam
son law summary action would be ta-
ken by the brotherhoods.
He said that the strike order, which,
was directly responsible for the law,
still was in effect, and the brother
hoods would not hesitate to enforce
it if the occasion warranted it.
"The brotherhoods asked for this
conference" said Mr.. Lee. "At the
morning session we discussed the ap-
plication of the law, and found that
there was no basis upon which we
cound possibly agree.
Roads to Press Lawsuits
"Another setback, besides the elm
ination of the mileage system, was
the determination of the railroads tC
continue their suits to determine the
consituionalty of the law"
The mileage sysem of compensation
the basis of which is the number Of
miles traversed by train crew, anC
+ not the actual hours of work, is th'
| crux of the new problem that, rail
road authority said, may result in thu
development of situation similar tt
the one which brought into being tn,
a Adamson law.
> Frankly" said Chairman Lee o
b the conference committee, in discuss
. ing this phase of the situation, eth
trouble lies in the fact that neither h
railroads nor the men know defnitel
how the law should be applied.
eve have our own ideas as to hoy
,e the law shall be applied-if at ala
Al suits to test its validity are now pend
70 ing, while the brotherhoods have thei
10 own IDEAS"
r Outcome is Uncertain
TO Chairman Lee added that he coul
t. not predict the probable outcome {
lie the difficulty.
y. He said, however, that negotiation
might be resumed by calling anoth'
conference. This possibility WI
IT strengthened by the announcement
the brotherhood chiefs that they, Wi
al the exception of President Lee of Il
on trainmen's organization, proposed
tie remain here for several days.
g. President Lee left for his home
70. Cleveland tonight. He said it was
to intention to join his conferees
lis Washington Monday, where they W
'e- go to attend the opening session
IL the Newlands' investigating comm
tee.