New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-14
Won't Negotiate Adamson
Law to Stave Off Strike
Saturday
Plan to Arbitrate
If Statute Is Upset
Railways Will Pay Back
Wages if Men Win
Last Appeal

to-day. preliminary 20 meeting the rep
resentativos Of the Big -Four brother
hoods tomorrow, they will decide TO
refuse to enter into any negotiations
respecting hours or wages pending ac-
ton by the Supreme Court on the
Adamson act. This action was fore
Swallowed Yesterday by those members
Of the national conference committee
arriving in New York and by messages
received from others on their way.
The best that the Big -Four chiefs
can expect-this on the authority Of
prominent railroad mans a reitera-
ton of the promise of the railroads 10
make the Adamson law Immediately ei-
fective and pay all wages accrued I'M
der it since January /, as soon as the
Supreme Court decides it is constitu-
tional. II it is held to be unconstitu-
tional. the railroad men say. they will
be ready 10 renew their offer 10 arbi-
trate everything in dispute, with the
additional proviso that the public be
represented in and be a party to the
proceedings.
Strike Is Problematical
1t is not expected that this PROPOSE
ton will be entirely agreeable to the
Big Four chiefs, but whether they will
let their orders for n general strike,
beginning Saturday night. stand no one
in New York could say yesterday. The
railroad operators hoped there would
be no strike, but declared they could
see no way Of preventing one if the
chiefs persist in carrying through
their programme.
The best information available is
that the leaders of the men are not
keen for a strike at this time, but are
being forced to allow one in order 10
save themselves with their constltu-
erts. There is no doubt that the rank
and file are bitterly disappointed over
the failure Of their organizations 10 get
what they thought they had obtained
when the Adamson law was enacted
This bitterness is increased by a grow
ing belief that the Supreme Court VIII
rule against the men when IL does rule
on the constitutiOnality OF the act
They have been so impatient with the
delay Of the court that month ago
one of the rig Four" leaders Is said 70
have asked President Wilson II there
was no way he could hurry the court
"Of course" said this leader. eve
who have gone through these things
understand the delay, but it is impos-
siblc 10 make the men understand It..
Is there nothing you can do to hurry
the court up?"
81 do not think" the President IS
reported TO have replied. that II
would be at all proper for me to try
and do anything like that The men
will have 10 be patient"
II was then thought that a decision
would be given not later than March
.. and when none came on that date
the pressure from below increased,
the more so because the men had
been given TO understand that the
court would surely act by that time.
Thereafter the dissatisfaction became
so great the leaders felt compelled to
act.
Doubt of Strikes Success
The opposition Of the leaders to a
strike is due, according TO the best
information available, to belief that
barring government Intervention. they
stand a good chance Of being beaten
roads Of the country show that a con-
siderable proportion OF the enrolled
union men will refuse to obey any
strike order. The union leaders know
that the railroads have a large number
of old employees upon whom they can
call to return TO work and another
large force available for the operation
Of trains among the thousands of en-
ployed in the big shops Of the country
such as the Altoona shops Of the Penn
sylvania.
To win, always barring government
Intervention, they believe they must
make any strike practically 100 pen
cent effective from the start, and make
the tie-up so complete that the roads
- would have TO surrender in a few days
N Ability OF the roads 10 operate a linn
TED service would. IL is thought. mean
defeat and the wrecking Of the brother
hoods, assuming that the railroads
would get protection for their men.
Managers to "Sit Tight"
This protection the roads believe
they would get. particularly as they
feel public opinion viii be against
any strike ar this time. In that BE-
lief they are. therefore, prepared %
sit tight and. % the words Of one
Official. tell the broiherhoods to go
70 g."
The weakness in the brotherhood
ranks according 10 those who make 30
their business 20 keep informed on
union matters. is the large number OF
employees nearing the retiring age who
DO not intend 20 RISK their pensions.
and the opposition OF others 20 any
thing that will damage the treasures
Of the two older organizations the en-
gincers and conductors. Primarily these
arc insurance orders before they are
labor organizations. and because Of the
low rates they have charged, compared
70 the cost Of insurance. they now find
fhemselvcf boz much the same position
as the Royal Arcanum and other fra
tcrnal orders have found themselves in
the past.
This condition has been aggravated
b. the fact that OF late years many. II
not majority. Of the frcmcn promoted
10 be engineers and brakemen made
conductor have retained their mem
berehip in their old organizations,
thus shutting OF the supply Of young
member 30 vital 20 low cost fraternal
insurance.
Switchmen Not To 60 Out
Another weakness in their position
lies in the certainty that the lnierDa-
fional Association o. Switchmcn, an
independent brotherhood. which has
contract with many Of the larger
roads. will insist on keeping their
sgreemenfs made last summer. when,
after the Big -Four hal refused 10
arbitrate, 'heg submitted their grey