Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-02-10
Reply to Railroads Shows Shorter Working Day for
 Men Necessary.
MEN NOT ASKING
 FOR MORE MONEY
Statement Signed by Chiefs of Four BrOtherhOOds Says Possibility of Strike Is Not Part of the Cues.
 ion at This Time.

Washington, Feb 9.-In their first official statement on the subject, the four railroad brotherhoods today made clear their position on their re- quest for an eight-hour day for rail- road employees.
 The statement emphasizes that the men are asking for a shorter work day, not for more money.
 eff the railroads insist on a longer day." says the statement, then it will mean increased pay"
 The railroad organizations decline tc commit themselves on the question of arbitration in the event the rail- roads refuse their demands and risk a strike. The position of the organ izations is thus stated:
 "They are not opposed to arbitra- tion, neither are they pledged to ac- cept it. They are practically pledged to peace, but that does not mean peace at any price. It means peace with honor and not peace at the sac> rifice of justice"
 The statement is signed by w. s. Stone, grand chief engineer, Brother hood of Locomotive Engineers; w. s. Carter, president, Brotherhood of Locomotive Bremen and Enginemen; L. E. Shepherd. acting president, Or der of Railway Conductors; and w. G. Lee, president, Brotherhood of Rail- road Trainmen. .,4.......
 Long Hours Eyliadst Men. ;
 The statement replies ito an an nouncement given out by the execu- tive committee of the association of Western Railways on Feb. 1. It is headed Why. the. Eight Hour Day." and says in part:
 ''The eight hour day movement is based wholly upon the justice of a work day of reasonable hours, that will permit the men further to, sepa- rate the dead line between work and wages. The railroads say, in effect that men who have put in few years of railroad service have worked thern- selves out and, win not be accepted if they lose their positions. If men are worked out in a few years, under present service conditions, the de- >mand to extend their wage-earning years is fully Justified, ,'37
 Overtime in road servfce is due al most wholly to the practice of rail- roads in overlooking trains, so that they cannot make their mileage with in their time limits. ''c> 2
 "The railroads are doing this for profit. They do not deny it, and if they propose to demand extra service at the sacrifice Of the health and fu flYr0 o,sy,s s,,cr ot tf{f4xy nf n1dr thnV should pay extra for it. ~
 Eight. Hour Day Not Impossible.
 "In the Southern and Western ter ritories, the wages are a trifle high CT than in the Eastern territory. . .
 "That there is not so much 'justf- fication for the contention of the rail- roads that the eight-hour day is inn possible, is proven by the fact that at present there are seven roads in the Southeastern and one in the Vest ern territory, that pay overtime on a basis of eleven miles per hour. t>
 "Six roads in the Southern and two in the Western territory pay ov- ertime on ? twelve mile per hour ba- sis. ' sfa's.'bi+-,lt tSI''HsEVNU Flight Of the Southeastern and five of the Western railroads pay over time on g twelve and one-half mile per hour basis" ',59 AEsi4 4is a'c &
 The possibility of a strike as the outgrowth, of the controversy is~ as- serted not to be part of the question at this time. The mems organizal tion's are declared neither to be pledged to accept arbitration nor op- posed to it. The. decision will rest upon developments, it is asserted
 The statement goes on to deny that the t1ainmen's demands are based on the present. high earnings of the roads, due to. the great business in- crease. fS0. gil Gishgu XXI. ff sa1
 The statement declares there, is no reason why other, railroad employees should suffer reduction in order to meet the increased expenditures in- volved in an eight-hour day for train men. So far as dividends are con cerned, the organizations declare that is something with which we have nothing tofdo. "asd' aroa
 sea1s loq'i .hn,