Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-09-04
S=HOUR LAW TEST
BY ROADS IN FALL
Official of Pennsylvania
Lines Says No Immediate
Fight Intended
WORKERS BELIEVE
LAW IS PER MANENT

no immediate test of the legality of
the Adamson cight-hour law viii be
made by the railroads, according b. an
intimstion made yesterday by an Off.
cial Of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who
said there was every likelihood of Il
conference Of the heads OF lines being
held in Philadelphia in the Tall for the
purpose of deciding upon q plan of &C.
ton, aud that nothing would be done
until that time.
In discussing the question, however,
officials of the companies with head
quarters in Philadelphia refuse TO have
their names used for publication, declar-
ing that the entire situation is not such
as concerns one individual or One COM
pany. but the entire railroad system of
the country High officials of the COM
pauies admit their counsels will be
watching their interests at all times, but
that when time comes 10 act the rail.
roads viii act as one body
Copies of the eight-hour law were
distributed among the railroad attor
ncys In Philadelphia today by Elisha
Ice. chairman of the National Confer.
ence Committee Of Railways, who led
the opposition 10 the law and the dc.
mands Of the brotherhoods.
Reading Lifts It's Embargo.
Yesterday morning the strike om-
barge declared by tho Philadelphia and
Reading Railway, which went into Of
feet ON Saturday night. was lifted. In
struction also was received from Balti-
more aud Ohio Railroad that the strike
embargo declared by that company was
no longer effective Today shipments
went ON as usual.
According to railroad officials. the
embargoes caused less congestion
than was expected. The Pennsylvania
officials. who were FIRST TO declare
strike embargoes. say the congestion
was so slight that Il was virtually all
cleared up on Saturday night and
they arc now ready TO resume normal
business A similar announcement
was made by the other companies.
In the Offices OF the railroads Il is
said several days will be required for
the general routine to resume its nor
NAL tenor. For the last two weeks
the clerks and heads have been work.
ing on schedules which were to he
put into effect Immediately upon the
declaration Of strike. therefore they
have had little time TO devote TO their
own particular work. which. i'm the
meantime has been piling up on them.
/ Just what the preparedness program
has cost the railroads. officials say
/ II Is impossible to estimate at present
Believe Eight-HOnr Law Is Fixed.
! Railroad brotherhood men were of
the opinion that the eight-hour day
has been established for railroad
workers by the strike prevention leg
islation no matter II the law Is de-
clared unconstitutional
The only foar the railroad worker,
now have is that Congress may 20 :
step further next session and try tc
put through legislation which will
place regulation of wages in the hands
of a commission
Harry A. Core, chairman of the
trainmen on the Pennsylvania lines
east of Pittsburgh. called the eight
hour law signed by President Wilson
IAN advanced step toward govern
ment ownership"
This legislation establishes the
principle of an elght-hour day in rail
road service he said. "We never &c
backward. This is undoubtedly a ster
toward government ownership"
He pointed out that the law has
three p' poses. 1T was 10 stop the
strike. set up the eight.hour principle
and establish the cost and practica
bility of the eighthour principle" he
said
I'm my opinion even n the law Is
contested by the railroads." he went
on. 1T will not force a return 10 The
ien-hour day. BY the time the law Is
declared either constitutional or other
wise the working OF the law will he
so well established that IL will be a
hXed principle in railroading.
The law will have been in opera
ton, the railroads will have adjusted
themselves to the new conditions tho
committee will have Investigated tho
cost and how tho law works. Nv
that time ] believe that public opln
ion will be so shaped that il this eight
hour day does cost the railroads tor
much, the Interstate Commerce Com
mission will find the granting ii
higher rates favored by the public =