The sun., 1916-09-04
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
'Railroad Executives Say IL Will ne
Due to Eight Hour Law.

' CHICAGO. Sept. 3.-Shippers through
GU the country may expect Tomorrow q
ear shortage. which IL a part OF the price
the railway executives say they Will nave
10 pay because Of the victory won by the
railway brothcrhoods in the passage OF
the eight hour law. Railroad stocks may
drop in value a little when the markets
open Tuesday.
= ; When they go to their offices after the
holiday railway ATTORNEYS will be asked
TO discover the possibilities OF an In
function proceeding 10 test the cOnsti-
t~utionality of the new law. Meanwhile.
n the law goes Int operation railway
men will set their increase In pay. but
they will md no actual decrease In
working hours. some of them will be
called on to work up to the sixteen hour
limit.
II the eight hour law is kept in force
for a few months. appeal to the Inter-
state Commerce Commission for an In
crease In freight and passenger rates Is
scheduled.
Mr.. Ripley's View.
~The railways will fight the eight
hour BILL said President T.. l.. Ripley
OF the Santa Fe. They have 10.
Whether that fight will be made by
means OF an Injunction suit or some
other court procedure Is a thing for the
lawyers to decide.
There has been no definite action
taken on this phase OF the subject. but
! expect to see the railroads make the
night together. The thing must he tested
out. As far as | am concerned. l am
sorry TO see the strike called of. 1t only
delays the settlement OF the issue"
60 Mr.. Ripley estimated that the increase
IN pay provided by the bill would cost
the railroads $50. 600. 900 in the first year
"That expense will have to be passed
Nlong," he said. "The railroads do not
expect 10 bear II and they have the
Presidents assurance that he will lend
ms moral support to getting an Increase
pf rates from the Interstate Commerce
Commission. which means ! believe that
the shippers are goins to pay the $780,
900. 900 and the consumers ultimately
bear the burden"
tn situation Is now one for the rail-
way attorneys to tussle WITH said
Hale Holden. president OF the Burlington.
1.-THE question OF how the new bin az
fects the sixteen hour limit clause OF
previous bills must be thrashed out.
Personally I believe the promise OF the
President to use his influence for an in
crease OF rates will count for nothing
now that the bill has been passed In the
form that It has.
AT any rate, the roads los. their
claims TO this promise by declining to
barter for II. assume the railroads will
hght the constitutionality OF the law, but
that depends upon what the attorneys
CLEAN by a careful study Of it,"
Expects No Serious shortage.
Nr. Holden said that ne thought the
Ear shortage and terminal congestion
situation would not be serious In view
Of the large movement OF freight.
r. II. Ashton OF the Northwestern
admitted tonight that there probably
would be q shortage OF such cars as are
used to carry o and similar commodi-
ties. Dealers and factories loaded many
pf these cars and held them when the
strike seemed certain.
Mr.. Ashton said he expected freight
20 be moving In "A normal manner within
two or three days.
"UDdoubtedly we will fight this law II
there II a way OF doing So" he said
'Until the attorneys have analysed IT,.
however. there II NJ means Of knowing
Just what procedure will be taken.
8 far as ] can see the railroads
cannot make an immediate appeal for
an Increase In rates. Such an appeal
has to be made on a showing OF in
creased cost. and the showing cannot be
made until he law has been In operation
long enough for It to he observed.
- "As far as the sixteen hour a day
limit OF employment IL concerned this
hill does not affect tho hours of a mans
work at all. The men will work Just
~ many hours per day as they have
been working tho only difference IL
that their compensation will be figured
l