The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-09-07
Whether Industrial Peace Is to
Be Permanent Depends Upon
Railroads, Brotherhood
Leaders State.
LABOR CHIEFS.A ARE PLEASED
Strike Will Be Called If At
tempt Is Made to Restore
10-Hour Day, They Say
Legislation Likely.

Washington. Sept. 5.-The nation
vide railroad strike called for today
a countermanded Saturday night,
;ollowing he passage Of the Adamson
.ight-hour day bill by the Senate. The
dill was signed last night by President
Wilson. He will sign the bill again
Tuesday to make it valid. Railroad
:raffic throughout the country again is
lormal.
Whether the Industrial peace brought
about by the passage Of the bill will
be permanent or only temporary de-
Ponds upon developments on the pro-
posed test Of the constitutionality of
the law.
Should the railroads take no action,
out await the beginning Of an investi-
cation Of the workings Of the eight
hour day by the special commission for
which the bill provides, the brother
hoods will remain inactive.
The employees leaders declare, how
ever, that should she law be 1eld I'M
constitutional, and the railroads at
tempt to restore the ten-hour day on
their lines, a strike will follow prompt
ly.
Hard Fight Ahead.
The bill was passed virtually in it's
original form. Congress is expected to
betnO up lllo III IN plSot
dent'u legislative program when it
convGnes in December and a long hard
fight is expected to develop over meas
ares proposed by which future labor
crises Of this nature may be averted.
The enactment of this piece of leg
islation,' said A.. B. Garretson, head Of
the conductors brotherhood, giving as
1t does an eight-hour day for every
man employed in the operating depart
ment of the railroads of this country
from the Canadian border to the gulf
mo from the Atlantic to the Pacific, Is
a wonderful thing. 1t not only affects
the b~rotherhoods and the best paid
men who come under their Jurisdiction,
but 1t reaches far enough down the
line to give the negro railroad worker
Of the south his chance.
Did Not Want Strike.
w. G. Lee, head Of the trainmen said:
"Of course / am pleased hat we
have avoided a strike. We did not want
a strike any more than anyone else in
this country, but we had reached a
point where If q strike became neces-
sary to win our demands we were will
ing to go into one. l feel confident that
we would nave emerged victorious If a
strike had been necessary.
THAT situation, however, Is passed.
Il do not know what the future may
bring as q result of the eight-hOur day
legislation. 1t is probable Of course that
the railroads will ask for increased
freight rates. If they a show that
they are deserving OF them, the broth
erhOods will help get them.
THE bill as enacted does not con-
tain all that we should like to have.
We are willing, however. to make sac
rifices and we made them. We are will
ing 20 abide by the legislation as pass
ed by congress-"
The four pens used by the president
in signing the bill-One for each
syllable Of his name-will be presented
to the four brotherhood heads, A. b.
Garetson, w. G. Lee, w. G. Carter and
W. S. Stone, after being used for re-
signing the bill on Tuesday.
There is a general feeling railroad
legislation growing out Of the action
Saturday will occupy most Of next ses-
sion, said Senator Kenyon today. can
attempt will be made to pass it on to
the farmers and general public" said
Senator Kenyon.
Senator Reed, Of Missouri, today in
troduced a resolution to authorize the
Interstate Commerce commission to in
v~estigate the effect Of the eight-hour
day on the cost Of operation of rail-
roads and to report to congress in De-
cember. The resolution will be called
up for consideration tomorrow.