The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-03-17
GREAT RAILROAD STRIKE.
Four Big Brotherhood Leaders Direct Train
men to Quit Work Tomorrow.
usch Side Rejects Offers Proposed by The Other and Oolv
Hope to Avert Traffic Tieup 10 Intervention of President
rs Wilson. Which. Possibly, Would Not Prove Effective
Souhern Part Of United States Be Affected by Sunday

New York. March l5.- "pro- !
Dreszivs strike" Of the 100000 men,
ees Of the four great railroad broth
erhosds to begin at o'ciockt central
tims) saturday on Eastern roads was
oresrca here late today. The walk
oof win extend to all the railroads In
~ country within Ave days. Chiefs
g We workmen's organizations got
~ strike machinery In motion within
= t6w minutes after an ultimatum de-
nysrsd to the conference committee
- railroad managers had been re-
3octed. A compromise proposal Offer
- ~ the managers was declined
Without debate.
Only successful Intervention by
rrqr1dsnt Wilson. II appeared to-
nleAt can avert strike. The BROTH
lsrhood leaders gave no indication
that sven an appeal from the nations
chisf executive can change their pur-
pces to obtain q basic eight hour day
and prorata time for overtime
through the use Of the protective
feature" Of their organizations. They
refused fiatiy to submit their case to
the eisht hour commission headed
~. -. Gen. ooethals or to await the
les,siOn OF the supreme court on the
constitutiouaiity Of the Adamson law.
I. rrsisht employees, yardmen and en-
cine hostisrs ON the New York Gen.
trsl iinss east and west. the Nickel
Plate and the Baltimore q Ohio and
in The great yards In Chicago and st.
Louis win be the first to leave their
p6U>s
1hsy will DO followed on Sunday
by tho same classes Of workmen on
the southern railway. the Norfolk &
Western. the virsinian. the Chesa-
peake q Ohio and a group of North
western railroads.
The time when the walkout will OK
tend 70 the other lines was uncertain,
it was said, but the men will be called
out In groups every IL or "a hours.
Elisha Leo. chairman Of tho nation
sl conference committee Of the rail-
roada made the following statement:
I'VE have offered to leave to the
0oethais eight hour commission re-
csntiy appointed by the president any
question that may remain unset
tied by the decision of the supreme
court In the pending Adamson law
cass. We regret that the leaders of
the organizations 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 country beginning Saturday night
at 9 o'clock.
The ultimatum presented to the
railroads by the organizations was
that we must Immediately put into
effect their Interpretation of the law
now before the supreme court for a
dstermination Of the constitutionality
and meaning without waiting for the
decision OF the court.
We declined to accept this propo-
sttion. feeling that we must await
and abide by the Judgment OF the
court; and we thereupon madc the
following formal offer for q settle
ment OF the issues involved:
"u) II the supreme court holds
the Adamson law to be constitutional
and the two sides can not agree OF
the application OF any of the points
We will agree that the eight hour
commission shall determine how tho
law shall be applied.
"(2) In case the law is declared
unconstitutional we offer to join yor
70 determine the whole controversy:
In asking the eight hour commission
any settlement arrived at to be effe,
tive January I. 1917.
This offer for feasible adjust.
ment was refused"
The brotherhood's side of tho con
troversy was made public In a state.
ment sisned by the four brotherhood
chiefs, w. l.. Lee for the trainmen
w. ;. Carter for the Hremen. L. T.
sheppard for the conductors and w |
9. Stone for tho engineers.
We presented proposition a.
place the Adamson eight hour law
into effect along the lines suggested |
sy President Wilson last August
which was that In all road service ex.
sepe passsnger where schedules nov
rpad 'os hundred miles or less. min,
rog' Ten hour or less. overtime at 1(l