The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-30
8-HOUR BATTLE
 TO BE DECIDED
 BY R. R. UNIONS
Brotherhood Heads, Unable to Agree With Railroads,
 Ask for Instructions.

New York, Dec. 3O-On the ground that the Adamson law will not give the brotherhoods the eight-hour day on Jan. 1, as provided in the statute and as promised by President Wilson when the unions withdrew their na- .tional strike order of Sept. last, the heads of the four train service organ izations-the Order of Railway Con- ductors, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, the Brotherhood of Loco- motive Engineers, and the Brother hood of Locomotive Bremen and En- ginemen-announced yesterday that the whole situation would be placed at once before their 100000 members, with a view to their instructing the union chiefs whether or not to resort again to a national strike threat.
 This decision, which, in effect, puts the eight-hour controversy where 1t was before Congress enacted the Adamson law, was reached by. the union leaders after the futile confer ence on Thursday with the National Conference Committee of the Rail- ways-a conference that speedily end- ed in a deadlock because the union men insisted that, pending a decision on the constitutionality of the Adam son law, members of the brother hoods should receive the increased wage awarded to them by the ~act---a matter of some $5,00O,000 month"; regardless of whether the law were ultimately upheld or knocked out. To this the railroads declined to yield.
 Having failed to reach any middle ground and remaining obdurate in their stand, the brotherhood chiefs left New York last night for Cleve- land, whence a circular to the rank and file will be issued on Jan. :. This, it was said, would make no recom- mendation for action, but would set forth that at the insistance of Presi- dent Wilson the men gave up their demand for time and half for over time-one-half of their demand from a financial standpoint-and accepted the Adamson eight-hour law; that the railroads had violated the spirit of the Presidents settlement by fighting the law; that even if 1t were upheld it might be applied in 9 way that would give less than the Presi- dent intended Weighing these con- tentions, the men will be left free to recommend what action they see lit. This removes all danger of a general strike on Jan. 1, but brings closer the possibility of a recurrence of the strike crisis of last August. what ever decision the men reach will not be known for ten days at least.
 Statement for the Bretherhoods The following statement was issued by the Brotherhood at the Hotel Bris- toI after four hours conference:
 While meeting with President
 Wilson last August at his insist
 ence. our committeeman waived their request for time and one-
 half for overtime, which was | fully 50 per cent. of their original demand, and at the suggestion of
 the President accepted his pro-
 position, which was:
 Concession of eight-hour day.
 "Postponement of the other
 demand, as to payment for ever-
 time, and the counter suggestions
 of the Railway Managers until
 experience actually diseloses the
 consequences of the eight-hour
 day.
 ''In the meantime. the consff-
 tuition, by authority of the Con-
 gress, of a commission or body of
 men, appointed by the President,
 to observej investigate, and re-
 port upon these consequences,
 without recommendation.
 "Then such action upon the
 facts as the parties to the present
 controversy may think best.
 oiv
 they would secure the eight-hour
 basic day at once, but the enact
 ment. of the ,Adamson eight -hour
 law, effective Jan. 1, 1917, made
 it necessary for them to wait pa-
 tiently until that time, to find
 later that the railroad compa-
 nies instituted injunction proceed
 ings against the governments en-
 forcement of the eight-hour law,
 and at this time the entire mat
 ter is in litigation, such litigation
 making it impossible for the Spe-
 cia1 Committee appointed by the
 President. as provided for in the
 law, to proceed with their inves-
 tigation as of Jan., 1, and the
 probability of additional litigation
 being commenced by the rail- ] q, roads even though the law is
 declared constitutional by the Su-
 preme Court, will seriously affect
 such investigation, in fact can
 and likely will delay the inves-
 tigation until the commission
 cannot make it's investigation as
 the law contemplates, thereby de-
 feating the intent of the law and
 at the same time postponfng the benefits promised by the law, which viii unquestionably meet
 with general dissatisfaction among the membership of the railroad organizations.
 The entire situation is to be placed before the membership by special circular.
 w. 8. STONE,
 Grand Chief Enginaer. E. of L. ]G. l.. B. SHEPPARD, Acting President, O. R. c. w. S. CARTER,
 President B. of l.. F. & E. w. G. LEE,
 President B. of R. T. New York, Dec. 29, 1916. Quote Their Letter to Wilson. 1 There was made public yesterday fo1 l the first time the letter of acceptanc' 1 of the Presidents terms of settleme11