The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-30

gestion as to settlement prevails,
 but we are authorized out of def
 erence to the appeals of the pub
 lie as expressed through you to
 say on behalf of the men that
 if your proposition in it's concise
 form means the acceptance of the
 proposals contained in Form 35
 after elimination therefrom of all
 reference to the punitive over
 time and the insertion in lieu
 thereof of the words overtime
 pro rata," that 1t will be accept
 able, provided you are able to se-
 cure the adhesion of the National
 Conference Committee of the
 Railways thereto
 It being understood that the creation of commission as sug-
 gested in memoranda prepared
 by you is to be carried out.
 Sincerely yours,
 W. B. STONE,
 Grand Chief Engineer, Brother
 hood of Locomotive Engineers,
 A. B. GARRETSON,
 President, Order of Railway Con-
 w. s. CARTER,
 President, Brotherhood Locomo-
 tive Bremen and Enginemen,
 W. o. LEE.
 President, Brotherhood of Rail-
 road Trainmen.
 To His Excel1ency, Woodrow Will
 son, President of the United
 States.
 The Railroads Side of It
 For the railroads, it was said yes terday that no other legal ac.ior against the operation of the Adamsor Law Twas planned outside Of the suits row Iending in the Supreme Court In reply to the charge of the broth erhoods that the railroads had de feated the intent of the law by ob. tairing delay, the railroad rerresen- tatives made public an agreem:r: made on Nov. 24 in Kansas City where the first Adamsor law suit was b"ot:sht, and signed by thc attorneys for the government and for the rail. roads. After stipulating that botk sides should join to obtain an early decision. the agreement said: 3. Pending the disposition of
 this case all like cases now
 brought on behalf of the several
 railroads parties to this stipula-
 tion shall remain in statu quo, and
 no further cases of the same or
 like character shall be instituted
 by them prior to such disposition.
 4. Pending such disposition no
 prosecution shall be instituted by
 the United States nor any convic-
 tidn sought under sectiPn 4 of
 5. In each pending case except
 this consent order shall be en- tered continuing further action therein until the decision of this court, and providing that plain tiff from and after Jan. 1, 1917,
 shall keep it's books and accounts in such manner that, if the con- stltutioha1ity Of the act is up- held, 1t shall ascertain the amount due to the employees, af- fected Under the construction placed Upon the act by this court and shall promptly pay such | amounts, which right can at any time be enforced for their benefit on their own motion or on the motion of the defendant Uni- ted States Attorney.
 The railroad managers took tn, stand that this agreement absolyee them from any accusation of imprcpe, tactics in refusing to put the law int effect next Monday. It is known that great pressure has been brought to bear upon the brotherhood leaders by their constit. uents, who were told that the Adam son law was a great victory and who without knowing the technical req sons for the delay, insist on thei1 eight-hour day. There has been much unrest among them since some labor leaders have begun a criticism of the Adamson law as a rather mad thine for labor. It is this state of mind which may produce some sporadic strikes on next Monday. In forcing a strike issue at this time the brotherhood leaders face the danger to them of having the admin. istration insist upon the passage al once of the Compulsory Investigation act proposed by President Wilson The difference in the political com- plexion of the House of Representa- tives after March 5 may have an im- portant bearing on the course pur- sued by the brotherhoods. The brotherhood leaders refused to say yesterday whether the strike vote given to the leaders by the men last August was dead. now. A. B: Garrett son, head of the conductors, stated at the time of the passage of the AdamsoE law that the strike vote was dead, but all of his colleagues did not agree with him. When the question was asked MT. Stone yesterday, he replied:
 1T don't care to say anything about that"
 When he was asked to explain | parts of his statement, he said that the statement spoke for itself. WheI ] it was remarked that part of it might appear ambiguous, he said: q don't care whether it is nqisun. ! derstood or not.''