Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-18
Letter From the President
To the Employees Of the
Illinois Central R. R.

Direct telegraph advices from New York and
Washington inform us train and engine service
employees on some of the eastern railroad systems
will be called on to strike at 6 p. m. Saturday.
March H. unless otherwise ordered and that later
strike will spread to other lines until all the rail
roads are involved.
Determination of the consttutonality of the
, Adamson eight-hour law is now in the hands Of
the United States supreme court This law was
passed at the solicitation of the representatives of
the engine and train service employees.
This strike order indicates that these same
representatives are now unwilling to wait upon
the decision of the supreme court
Illinois Central timekeepes are keeping a
record each day of pay accruing to each employee
affected by the Adamson law, and have been doing
so since the LIST of January, 1917.
A sum of money corresponding thereto ia set
aside each month and the amount so due will be
paid in lump sum to all employees affected IL
the court decides that the Adamson law entities
them to receive it.
Therefore, to what extent are your earnings
under the Adamson law jeopardized by any FUR
Their postponement of the decision from the
United States supreme court?
i Not at all.
If the law is declared unconstitutional, the
Illinois Central stands back of the fair PROPOSE
ton presented by the national conference COM
mittee Of managers that we will join with our
employees in asking commission appointed I'm
der the terms of the Adamson law to determine
the whole controversy, settlement to be effective
January !, 1917 @ III "
Therefore, in the event Of the law being de-
clared either constitutional or unconstitutional
you are guaranteed the benefit from January |,
1917, Of any settlement reached.
F Could anything be more fair?
Is this disposition Of the controversy more
satisfactory and safe than resort to sufferines
uncertainties and violence Of strike? ga
Never in the history of the Illinois Central
railroad has the management seen clearer cut
demonstration Of the intelligence and loyalty Of
it's employees than during the winter just closing
winter fraught with unusual operating difficulties
which were met and overcome to an extent that
it may be said that the property was never more
efficiently operated.
The public has been generous in attesting
to the fine quality Of our personnel and service.
In expressing the appreciation Of the man.
agement for this result I must needs testify to
the intelligence and loyalty Of the employees
which have made it possible.
Contemplating these characteristics Of our
employees, cannot believe that they can be lack
ing the foresight to see that the public will be in
tolerant of radical action at this particular junctre
of our national affairs. Too long has the nation
adhered to the principle Of dignifed diplomacy
in dealing with foreign difficulties to be in SYM
pathy with an abandonment Of that method Of
settling domestic dispute.
To the will of the public we must I'll
eventually bow
Certainly the loyalty of Illinois Central en-
ployes is testimonial to the amicable relations
which have existed between them and the manage
ment through all these years Of dignifed and dip
lonlatic dealings.
The spirit Of the times is not such as will JUS
tify the abandonment Of a course that calm judg-
ment indicates will foster the comfort and GER