The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-15


the patriotism of tho members of the
four great hrotherhoods ito refrain
from amy rash movement which
would bring on Industrial warfare in
tonight by the national conference
committee of railways on the eve of
the conference tomorrow with the
chiefs of the trainmcns organizations
however. that the brothcrhoods were
determined to cali 4 strlsp unless their
demands were granted
After n meeting here with several
men OF the locals in the brotherhood
organizations on lines entering New
York. w. G. Lee. president of the
brotherhood of ralrod trainmen, an
been voted the brotherhood chiefs in
the demands they intend to make at
,omorrow's conference. These de-
mands. he said, would be based on
Der. which called for a basic eight
hour work day and pro rata pay for
overtime.
Ask Adamson Law Terms.
This is virtually what the Adamson
law would give If put in force, he said,
The original program of the men. the
refusal OF which resulted in the call
last September of the strike. which
was avcrtcd by the passage of the
Adamson act, included an eight hour
basic day with time and half for
overtime. Mr.. Lee Indicated there
was no intention of going back to the
original claims.
He admitted that recent forecasts of
a progressive. country wide strike be-
ginning Saturday night at o'clock
unless the railroads accede to the nj -
timatum of their employees were writ
ten by good gnesser,"
Not in Bad Faith.
"Charges that we are acting in bad
faith in bringing up this question Mt
this time without waiting for the de
cision of the supreme court on the
Adamson act are baseless." he de-
clared. I'VE were not parties to the
agreement entered into between the
attorneys for tho railroads and tho
representatives of the attorney gen
erals office to do nothing until the
decision is handed down.
Our position is The same as If there
were no Adamson law and no decision
pending. Whether the. decision Is for
or against the law, our demands
which we shall present tomorrow. will
be unaltered. If the law is upheld
II would give us what we shall ask for
tomorrow. If 1t Is thrown out, We
still will stand pat and take no less
than the Adamson law would have
given us.
Backed by Men.
I'VE four brotherhood chiefs
through the recent meetings with on,
own men, now feel that we have the
united backing of our men behind us
in this. We want to get this uues
ton of the eight hour day settled
quickly. The reason for our haste al
| this time in forcing 1t to an issue Is
| that the country may be in n wa,
within a few weeks or months and w,
| believe this ought to be settled before
| that time comes"
The statement of the national con
| ference committee, signed by its
chairman. Elisha Ice. said:
Railroads Statement.
We are sincerely DESTROYS that The
wages and working conditions of oul
employees should be on the highes
plane consistent with the efficient OPP,
Grafton of the railroads. When tn,
national wage demands of the fou
train brothcrhoods were made las
year. we felt that they were hcyont
reason. entailing as they did an annua
increase of S10O,O0O,OO0 or about 8
per cent In the wages of the 5000
most highly paid workers in the eoun
try.
But we were ready and anxious I,
submit this wage controversy for set
Element TO some impartial public tr
bunal. In the hope that our employe
would join with us in seeking til
judgment of such board Of ina,lir,
we earnestly urged that the whole cas-
be referred to:
Ask Arbitration.
| "One--The interstate conlmerc
commission. tho government bod
Regulating the transportation industr
in the public interest; or
"Two--A board of arbitration undo
the Ncwlands arbitration act of 1911