Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-03-30
STRIKE OFF.
ROADS YIELD
TO WAR PLEA

enches will be held here tomorrow
between the railway managers and
the brotherhood chiefs to decide q
basis OF computation Of back pay.
inasmuch as the new agreement is
to be retroactive, beginning Janu-
that the men nave coming to them
between $12,000,000 and $13.OO0,OO0.
New York. March 2O-Yielding to the
appeal of President Wilson, and acing
.he probability of this country's en-
roads early today granted the demands
OF the fonr employees brotherhoods
for a basic eight-hour day. The tele-
graph wires this morning are CARRYING
throughout the United States messages
from the brotherhood chiefs resembling
the orders for the Inauguration of the
great progressive strike at I o'clock to-
night.
Inc conference committee of railroad
managers early this morning authorized
President Wilson's mediators to make
Whatever arrangements were necessary
with the railroad brotherhoods to cali
OFF the threatened strike.
The decision is regarded as n COM
plete surrender to the b~rotherhoods
brought about, however. after the
patriotism OF the railroad managers had
been put to a test. The presidents
medlators. playing what they consid-
cred their last trump card, were not
successful in their mission Until after
more than SO hours OF anxious con-
f%erences, all Of which pointed within a
short tim before the decision was an
nounced, to an inevitable deadlock.
Secretary OF the Interior Lane. and
the other mediators were visibly af-
fected when told of the action Of the
railroad managers. Mr.. Lane sent i'm
mediately for the committee Of the
railroad managers and. turning to
Elisha Lee. their spokesman, said:
Lane Praises Railroads.
This is a magnificent thing that
you have lone for your country. 1t will
go down i'm history as one of.the great
est things you Yer did"
The brotherhood chiefs. who already
had left the hotel where the conferences
were being held. and had retired for
the night, apparently convinced that q
settlement OF the differences could not
be reached, were summoned next. Their
faces showed the relief they felt from
the strain under which they had labored
since early Friday evening with the
presidents committee. W. G. Lee. head
of the trainmen, announced for them
that orders would go w at once
informing all district chairmen of me
hrotherhoods of the successful outcome
OF the conferences.
100000 Men Get Increase.
By the terms of the settlement, the
combined salary list of the railroads
will be increased approximately $780,
600, 900 a year according to conservative
estimates. The numbe of workmen
profiting by this increase will be more
than 300, 900.
That the crisis resulting from the
sinking of three American ships by
German submarines was tine primo
factor in clearing the situation and re-
storing the ountry to normal condl-
tions so far as it's transportation faclll-
ties were concerned, was conceded by
all.
Friendly Feeling Expressed.
The agreement which averted the
strike was signed i'm Secretary Lanes
room at o:15 this morning. just a few
hours after the had agreed
to abandon the long and bitter fight
they have made against the brother
hoods demands.
AS the last of the nine to sign it at
tache6 his signature the tension in the
little group relaXed. The manaSer
and the chiefs shook hands with one
another and with each of the Washing-
ton mediators.
The sun was just touching the white
fronts Of the neighboring skyscrapers
with light. AS the dozen broke into
little groups, the room suddenly be-
came silent when w. H. Carter, of the
firemen and engineers, looking out said,
'Why, look out there. It's dawn Of a
new day"
Most of those present thought he had
expressed the feeling of all. for it was
the first time in many years that there
has beer such evidence of friendly re-
lations between the men who run trains
and the men who manage them.