The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-03-19

Continued From Page one.)
volved was future limit Of public reg
ulation and private operation of com
mon carriers. with boundaries o.
regulatory legislation by congress.
tional all features of the Adamson &C
entailed:
Permanent establishment of a
~ork-day OF hours as a measure
or standard of calculating wages
and service OF train operatives,
Temporary but immediate in.
crease of about rs per cent In
wages, during not less than seven
nor more than eleven months be-
ginning Jan. last of about $40o, 900
trainnen, mostly of the "6ig Four" !
brotherhoods of engineers, firen,en,
those principally in freisht SER
vice. Comparatively few passen-
ger trainmen were given irnmsdi- !
ate benefit by the law. $40
Cost to the railroads Of such
temporary increase of from $40,- Z
000, 900 to 1000 900, as estimated
by the railroads, or about $4,000
600 as estimated by the brother
hoods. Future additional cost of a
permanent 6-hour.day scale was
estimated by the railroads at
$100, 900 annually, with pros
pective additional wage demands
from 1900, 900 other employees not
benefited by che Adamson law.
Vast extension of congressional
authority in federal regulation Of
common carriers. with power 20
authorize wage fixing by the in
terstate commerce commission.
Future negotiations between
railroads and trainmen of new
wage scales based upon the s-heur-
day standard.
Dismissal Of about 500 railroad
injunction suits, IN virtually every
federal district court, TO enjoin
the laws endorsement.
A decision holding the whole Law
unconstitutional involved:
Denial Of prospective permanent
and also immediate temporary
wage increases to 100000 train
men,. with present wage scales
left in effect.
Renewal of critical wage dis
putes between the carriers and
hrotherhoods, with probable de-
nand for prompt supplementary
legislation from congress-
CurtaiInnent OF congress- power,
possibly forever, in regulating in
terstate commerce, with limita-
tons upon public regulation as dis
tlnguished from. private operation
OF common carriers.
Prevention of passage by con-
gress of the bill authorizing The
|. c. C. to fix railroad employees
wages like rates are regulated.
Issuance of injunction in every
federal court, in the railroads'
500 odd suIts, permanently enioin-
ing enforcement of the law be the
federal authorities.
The temporary wage increase, in
stitution OF the permanent 8-houl
standard and all litigation, by forma
agreement between the railroads ant
of justice, have been helC
in allegiance pending the courts deci
sion. However, the railroads have beer
keeping special account of increases
due since the law became effective
Jan. 1, with view to prompt pay
ment upon ruling upholding thu
statute.
A decision unfolding the s-houi
standard, it was admitted, would no
bar trainmen from working more thar
8 hours q day, but merely entitle then
to pro rata overtime pay. Also such {
ruling entailed making of entirely new
wage agreements for all trainmeT
AuSCIGQs Dy private HSSOLLublOHt oS "
the amount Of wages which shall
an s-hour day standard.
The federal hours OF service act
continuous employment o.
trainmen more than 16 hours daily
romans undisturbed regardless of thu
decision upon the Adamson law.
Entitled Fan act to establish an 8
hour day for employees of carriers en-
gagged in interstate and foreign com
merce, and for other purposes" thu
law was made effective Jan. i ant
four sections. Briefly, thu
first section. providing the permanent
S-hour wage standard. declares tina
Beginning Jan. / eight hours shall, Il
contracts for labor and services. b.
deemed days work for the purpos'
of reckoning compensation of all en-
ployes now or hereafter employed
by any common carrier by railroad
Z. actually engaged in any capacit!
in the operation. Of trains"
Railroads not more than 100 miles
long and independently owned, ant
electric street and interurban railroad
were excepted.
Section provides for the presiden
tlal commission OF three. now headed
wv Major General GoethalA to In