Evening star., 1917-03-16

railroads again refused to accept the
decision of Congress and have not vet
observed the law in single instance
Says Railroads Play for Time.
J 1t is apparent to us that the pur-
pose of the railroads is to avoid any
| settlement of the matter until such
, time as the country becomes involved
! in war, when they expect to escape
any settlemnt of whatever character.
Even though the Supreme Court should
decide that the law was constitutional
we have noticed that they will not
accept our Interpretation thereof, which
is practically the same as the Presi-
dent proposed when he recommended
the enactment of the law; therefore,
aecision of the Supreme Court uphold
ing the constitutionaIity of the law
would not even Indirectly secure for
the employees the purpose of the law
II goes without saying that railroad
employees have been patient and loyal
TO the interests of the country, and
IN the event of war have offered their
services to the government. 1t must
not be overlooked that during this
period. when the railroads have per-
/ sistently denied their employees that
which was intended by the President
in his proposition and that which was
intended by the Congress in the Adam
son law, the railroads. during a years
/ 900 100000, while the employees, with
no increase in wages. have suffered an
increase in cost of living equal to more
than 40 per cent.
IF. after more than year. We have
, failed to secure some relief, and train
and engine men conclude to fold their
hands and starve in reality rather than
by degrees, should they be considered
as disloyal to their flag?
why not place some of the response
easily stop all talk of sIoppage of
trains by recognizing that such en-
p1oyes must either lower their standard
Of living or they must work longer
than ten hours out of each twenty-four
in order to retain American standards
of living"
BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, March 16.-Elisha Lee.
chairman of the national conference
committee of the railroads, has made
the following statement:
we have offered to leave to the
| Goethals eight-hour commission, re-
Gently appointed by the President. any
questions that may remain unsettled
| by the decision of the Supreme Court
! in the pending Adamson law case. We
regret that the leaders of the organi-
cations have refused to accept this
offer and that they have notified us
that they have ordered a series of
strikes on the railroads of the coun-
1
o'clock.
THE ultimatum presented to the rail-
roads by the organizations was that
| we must Immediately put into effect
| their Interpretation of the law now
| before the Supreme Court for a de-
| terminatin of it's constitutionality and
! meaning, without waiting for the de-
cision of the court.
! We declined to accept this PROPOSE
tion. feeling that we must await and
abide by the judgment of the court; ;
/ and we thereupon made the following
| formal offer for a settlement of the
| issues involved:
| Il. If the Supreme Court holds the
| Adanison law to be constitutional and
the two sides cannot agree upon the
application of any of the points. we
! will agree that the eight-hour COM
I mission shall determine how the law
shall be applied.
"2. In case the law is declared un-
constitutional we offer to Join you in
! asking the eight-hour commission to
determine the whole controversy, any
settlement arrived at TO be effective
January l, 1917.
This offer for a feasible adjustment
! was refused"