Arizona republican., 1916-11-16
|S II VALID?
 |TS MEANING?
 HOW APPLIED?
lRepubllcan A. p. Leased Wirel

Republican A. P Leased Wire1
 NEW YORK, Nov. 15=Suits filed bv railroads against the federal govern ment to test the constitutiQnality of the Adamson eight-hour law also are ex- pected to result in the interpretation CT the statute if it be upheld, the rail- road managers comprising the national conference committee of railways an- nounced in statement here tonight.
 Suits designed to test the validity of the law and to restrain the government rom putting it into effect were filed in this city today by the New York Central and Erie railroads.
 Similar suits are to be brought with in the next few days by each railroad Tn the country in each of the federal districts it traverses, according to Eli sha l.. Lee, chairman of he conference committee. MT. Lee issued a statement at the end of the committees three-day secret session, explaining the railroads program in their fight against the law. The statement follows:
 Two questions are involved in the appeal by the railroads to the courts for light on the Adamson law:
 l-ls the law constitutional?
 2-lf it is constitutional what does it mean?
 There are conflicting opinions as to how the law if constitutional. should be applied.
 Therefore. the railroads must. as q matter of duty. ask the courts if the law is within the power of congress. 1t is duty they owe not alone to the owners of these properties, but also to the public that provides the revenues for the payment of wages e If the law is declared unconstitu- tional it is said the courts will make clear its meaning and the railroad it is unnecessary to say, will faithfully follow instructions of the courts. Tn the bringing of suits throughout the country the railroads have no de- sire to delay action or to resort to technicalities. The railroads are anxious to have speedy decision on the points at issues. These separate suits are necessary to protect the individual roads. A single suit would protct the individual road only in the point of jurisdiction which the test case was brought and would leave all roads to prosecution in other jurisdictions.
 "The railroads have chosen what seems to be the shortest and most prac- tical method of reaching an early de- cision. and, in the meantime avoiding a multiplicity of prosecutions and suits.
 The railroads earnestly desire to take the right road, and it is for this reason that they have asked the courts for light to show them the road" The Governments Defense. WASHINGTON, Nov. 15.-Suits by railroads attacking the constitutionality of the eight-hour railroad law were begun today in many parts of the coun- try and the department of justice plans 1 to defend them.
 ! No offer yet has been made by the
 railroads to settle the question by one i test case. It was stated officially that i Attorney General Gregory has made no such proposition to the railroads and 1 the department is planning to contest each suit as it comes up for hearing. Assistant Attorney General Underwood will have direct charge of the govern ment's defense and Frank Hagerman of ! Kansas City, Mo. has been retained to assist him. Mir Underwood expects
 to appear personally in most of the cases, but their number may make it necessary to employ other specitl
 counsel
 The attorney general and Solicitor General Davis have been in conference with Mir. Underwood frequently since the first suits were filed and the gen.
 eral lines of defense have been laid h.
 formation so far reaching the depart
 ment shows that the railroads base their prayers for temporary restraining or
 ders against the law becoming effective
 on the ground that it is unconstitu- tional and incapable of enactment.