The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-10-23
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son until told OF 1t today by a rep
resentative of the United Press. He
4 refused to comment on the announce
Uent except to say:
1T is Murdock's own business"
Murdoch, editor of the Wichita
Eagle. announced he would support
Wilson for president and Arthur Cap
sas. Henry j. Allen, the third of the
big three" progressives of Kansas
had previously declared for Hughes.
Adamson Bill an Issue.
WASHINGTON, Oct. %. "The
Wilson Adamson wage Increase bill
will do more than any other one
thing to defeat President Wilson's
ambition to succeed himself This
Z statement was made by Chairman
William r. Wilcox of the republican
national committee. Wilcox con-
tinued:
I'm the first place. it is not an
eight-hour bill w. Jett Lauck. econ
omic expert and chief statistician for
railroad brotherhoods, is one OF my
authorities for that statement. Lauck
says, THE Adamson law does not
substitute hours for distance or miles
as a basis Of payment Therefore,
the railroads may work a man six
teen hours. the legal limit under the
LaFollette bill, without violating the
Adamson bill.
William J. Pinkerton, member OF
Lodge TSP, Brotherhood of Railway
sTrainmen, who came within six votes
of defeating W. G. Lee for the presi-
dency of that organization, says that
is just what they can do.
"Pinkerton says the railroads will
not contest the Adamson law, because
the so-called eight-hour day. which
simply means reduction OF our
working agreements from ten hours
to eight. reserves to the companies
the right to work employees up to
sixteen hours should they see fit to
10 so. What kind Of an 'eight-hour
law is that
mr. Wilson may have succeeded
in palming gold brick off on the
presidents Of the railway brother
hoods. but he can't deceive the men
they represent once they get a chance
to examine the legislation for them
selves
1.-The Adamson bill and his re-
6pOuSlUllllleS lot ~ Is SOluS W ~
feat Mr.. Wilson for another. and a
cause it makes every railway employe
subject. not only to Injunction, but
to fine Of from 800 to $1,000, or
one years Imprisonment, or both, for
interfering with interstate traffic.
IL did not realize that myself until
Mr. Pinkerton pointed it out. but now
that he has pointed it out it is per-
fectly clear to me, and 1t will be clear
to every railroad employee who ex-
amines the law. Mr.. Pinkerton says
the railroads will not contest the
Adamson law because section OF
that law-I will quote his own Ian.
guage-restored to the railroads the
use of the injunction, the right to
fine Individual members 81 900 should
: they refuse to obey the courts ruling
by In any way interfering with inter
state traffic That is MIR Pinkerton' :
opinion, and now that he has made
It clear, 1t is mine; but anyone can
figure it out for himself from the
text OF the law. This is the text to
which Mr.. Pinkerton refers:
"Sec. 4. That any person violating
any provision OF this act shall be
guilty of misdemeanor, and upcr
conviction shall be fined not less thar
500 nor more than $1,000. or i'm
prisonment not to exceed one year
or BOTH
THE first section OF the Adamso1
law reads:
THAT, beginning January /, 1917
eight hours shall, in contracts for la
Dor and service, be deemed day.
work, and the measure and STANDARD
of days work for the purpose o
reckoning the compensation for serv
ices of all employees who are now o
may hereafter be employed by an!
common carrier, by railroad, etc
Then follow the privately owned rail
roads, ETC., TO which the law doe
not apply Section 3 is as follows:
Section 3. That pending the re
port of the commission herein pro
vided for and for period of thirt.
days thereafter the compensation o
railway employees subject to this &C
for a standard eight-hour workda
shall not be reduced below the pres
ent standard days wage, and for al
necessary time in excess Of eigh
hours such employees shall be paid a
q rate not less than the pro rata rat
for such standard eight-hour worf
day
This section makes perfectly clea
the correctness of Mr.. Pinkerton
contention that the bill gives tn
roads the right to work employees u
to sixteen hours If they see fit, TO
the roads are left, without any limits
ton, to decide whether work in e,
cess of eight hours is necessary
and for all time in excess of efgh
hours they pay the same rate as TO
time within the eight hours"
Democrats Believe il so.
NEW YORK, Oct 23.-Followin
the meeting of representatives Of tn
American Independence conferenc
and Charles E. Hughes at which tn
democratic national committe
charges an agreement was reache
hntween the renuhlican Candidai