New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-05
Negotiations Said To Be
Under Way with the
BrOtherhGOdS.
EXECUTIVES FAVOR
PLAN TO FIX WAGES
Wish, if Possible, to Avert
Friction and Gain
Rate Increase.

Washington, Sept. 4.-The eight-hour
law by which railroad strike was
averted may be accepted by the rail-
roads without test of its constitution
atty. Negotiations between the rail-
roads and the brotherhoods are being
conducted, il is said, by which the roads
would agree not to contest the law.
Judge W. L. Chambers. of the United
States Board Of Mediation and Concil-
iation. admitted tonight that overtures
were being made in this direction. but
declined to comment further.
President W. S. Carter, of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Firemen and En-
ginemen, said he had not heard of the
report. "None of the four chiefs has
heard Of it," he added
Would you favor it?' he was asked.
81 would like to heac more about it,.
have heard nothing about it at all"
he replied.
Why Roads Might Accept.
1t was pointed out tonight that the
railroads might be willing to accept the
law, including as it does the principle
of the right of Congress and through
il the Interstate Commerce Commission
to fix wages of employees in interstate
commerce. The railroads are anxious
for the commission to have this power,
Just as it has been given the power to
fix freight rates.
The idea Of the railroads in this is
that it would avert the possibility Of
strikes in the future. or, if it did not,
certainly the onus would bear heavily
on men striking for more pay than this
tribunal had judged they deserved.
The railroads favor this strongly as
against the plan for compulsory in
designations, it is said, for they do not
wish to be bound so that they will be
compelled 10 arbitrate wage disputes
with weak organizations which they
could probably defeat in a strike. On
the other h9nd, the brotherhoods do
not want compulsory investigation, be-
cause they believe it would deprive
them of the favorable position to which
they have fought their way. They fear
that with compulsory investigation
many classes of railroad workers would
receive substantial raises in pay be-
fore the brotherhoods would again be
recognized.
Difficulties in the Way.
Now the point of the railroads in not
conteSting the law just passed. :: -
10
to bring all the legal talent they could
concentrate to bear against the right
of Congress to fix wages, or against the
very thing which they now want def
nitely determined. They do not want
TO pay the 70 per cent higher wages,
which under this law are to go into
effect January ! but they realize that
they probably would lose the LEGAL bat
tie anyhow, and they are of the opin-
ion, it is declared, that they might as
well have what benefit they can eX-
tract from it.
Besides, they do not want TO take
any action which might cost them need
ed friends. They are looking forward
to a substantial increase in freight
rates to reimburse them for the in
creased payrolls which will begin Jan
uary ], under the edict of Congress.
There is some strong opposition TO
their having any such increase, but
they realize that this opposition is d
small minority in Congress.
One Of the men who fought most
vigorously for the eight-hour law, Sen
ator Reed, of Missouri, introduced a
resolution in Congress to-day looking
toward an increase in freight rates.
This provides that the Interstate
Commerce Commission investigate at
once to determine the increased cost
which will fall upon the railroads as
result of the eight-hour law. The
commission is requested by the resolu-
tion to report on the first day Of the
December session Of Congress. Should
this pass, the report would be before
Congress almost a month before the
increase in pay went into effect, so
that there would be ample time for
Congress to express its wishes TO the
Interstate Commerce Commission with
a view to granting increases in freight
rates.
Here Is the Resolution.
This resolution, which under the
rules went over for one day, is as
follows
Resolved, That the Interstate Com
merce Commission is hereby requested
TO at once investigate. and as nearly as
possible, ascertain what, if any, in
crease in the cost of the operation OF
trains will result from the compliance
by the railway companies with the act
approved September 3, 1916, entitled
an act TO establish an eight-hour day
for employees of carriers engaged in in
terstate and foreign commerce and for
other purposes, and to report its find
ings to Congress on the first day OF
the December, 1916, session. Provided
that if the said commission cannot con-
clude its investigation Of all railways
affected by said law in time TO report
on the date aforesaid. it shall then re-
port on such railway or railways the
Investigation of which it has been able
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