Arizona republican., 1917-03-14
SATURDAY SET
FOR STRIKE f
No AGREEMENT.
Republican A. p. Leased Wire1

Republican A. p. Leased Wire1
WASHINGTON, March 13.-Com-
plete plans by the four railroad broth
erhOods for a NATIONWIDE strike to be
inaugurated next Saturday evening un-
less the railroads grant their eight
hour day demands were ratified here
today by local union leaders from
southeastern territory and by SINH
lar conference of representatives of the
southwest held at st. Louis.
The brotherhood heads will tell the
railroad conference committee in New
York Thursday that if an agreement is
not reached this week for the estab-
lishment of an eight hour basic day
with time and a half for overtime,
strike orders already issued to local
organizations will become effective.
The demands are just what they were
last fall when President Wilson averted
a strike after the call was out by in
ducing congress to pass the Adamson
law which never has been put into
effect, pending decision on its con-
! stitutionality by the supreme court.
There is every indication that the
president is prepared to move again if
| it becomes apparent that the nation.
| facing the gravest international crisis
of it's history, is about to have its
transportation facilities paralyzed. Al
though still confined to his bed by a
| cold, the president heard reports dur
| ing the day from Secretary Wilson on
| the plans of the brotherhoods. There
was no statement as to what action he
was contemplating, but it is understood
| TO be probable that his first step may
! be an appeal to the employers and
employees to reach an agreement as d
| patriotic duty.
1t became known during the day that
| ha hrn
! wrote to the president advising him of
| the meeting to be held with the rail-
| road committee on March Is and as
suring him that if the country should
become involved in war they would CO.
| operate with the government in every
| possible way.
The letter of the Brotherhood repre-
sentatives to President Wilson follows;
I'VE feel obligated to officially advise
you of our Intention to meet again the
national conference committee of the
railways on March 18th for the purpose
of making another effort to adjust the
pending eight hour controversy.
I'VE are very hopeful of working out
a satisfactory adjustment with the
railroads but, if while we are negou-
ating, our country should become in
volved in war; We want to assure you,
as chief executive of the nation that
we and the membership we represent
can be relief upon to support you to
the fullest extent and that yourself
and the nation will have our hearty
and full surport.''
The southeastern union officials
were told by the brotherhood chiefs
that the strike orders had been ar
ranged so as to have the walkout begin
on a certain group of roads at I p m.
eastern standard time) Saturday and
gradually extended to all roads in the
country by next Wednesday,
Each "a hours until Wednesday, a
new group would be affected. This pro-
: gressive system, the union men say
/ was adopted to avoid paralyzing traf-
e fic suddenly throughout the entire
= country and to give railroads chance
S to stop the strikes spread by meet
ing the union demands if they wish.
= 1t was admitted that the strike
: plans disclosed by the railroads con-
O ference committee in New York today
: were substantially correct, except thai
a the specific roads to be affected day
# by day were not named accurately
r. While the brotherhood leaders woulC
: not talk for publication about theil
strike arrangements, they declared al
&c plans had been given unanimous ap
a prevail by the sectional meetings s.
N sfar held and that similar action wa
= certain to be taken by the meeting
d in New York and st. Paul tomorrow
d 1--WE will go before the RAILROADS
representatives Thursday with our en-
= tire membership united behind ou
demands" said w. G. Lee, head o
the trainmen.
Calls for meetings Of local commit
tees the next three days in abou
fifteen cities over the country to re
ceive final instructions for the strike
, went out today from brotherhoo
headquarters in Cleveland.
After today's session here, the fol
lowing statement, signed by W.
Stone of the engineers; w. G. Let
of the trainmen; w. S Carter. c
the firemen and enginemen. and L. L
Sheppard, acting president OF tn
o. conductors, was given out:
n "The proposition submitted at to
k days meeting by the chief executive
nd was unanimously endorsed by tn
ae various general committees, thus au
s. thorizing the chief executives to asal
he
Continued on page two)