Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-03-18
Should AdamSon Law Be Held
Constitutional Railroads Will
Accept Interpretation of
BrotherhoodS,
49, HOUR TRUCE is
PRESENT CONDITION
Gompers Arrives' Asserts Hell
Came as Soon as Notified
His Presence Was De-
sired.

tBT MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED WHEEL
New York. March 17.-After a
forty-eght hour truce between the
four railroad brotherhoods and the
railroads had been declared here late
today thus aVerting the great pro
gressive" strike that was to have be-
gun at o'clock tonight w. G. Lee
chief of the trainmen and spokesman
for the brotherhood chiefs asserted
that he believed an amtCahle settle
ment of all the differences would be
reached by Monday,
This was taken to mean that the
efforts of the presidents committee
of mediators representing the council
of national defense not only had been
successful in hating the strike to-
night, but that with the resumption
of conferences tomorrow and Monday
the whole situation probably would be
cleared and the country again assured
Of normal transportation conditions
Employers Not ODtimistic.
THE optimism of the brotherhood
chiefs, however, was not shared by
the railroad managers. While no.
statement was forthcoming from
them ii was asserted that the settle
ment of the differences was entirely
contingent upon a decision on Mon
day by the supreme court favorable
to the Adamson act. In that event, it
was understood they agreed that they
would accept the application of the
law on the basis of ten hours pay for
eight hours work, with pro rata pay
for overtime.
No other concessions We're made
and the question az tD what turn tho
situation would take IN the event of
Of
declaring the Adamson law unconsti-
tutional, remained to be determined,
according to an official in close touch
with the managers
Many Strikes Occur.
Mr.. Lees reassuring statement
came after he was informed that
many members of the four brother
hoods in Ohio, West Virginia, Penn
sykvaniaI and Illinois. Sailing to ne
ceive word of the postponement of the
strike actually had quit work tonight.
He said he was not surprised at this,
inasmuch as there was so little time
less than three hours-in which to
communicate with the men.
That should be sufficient PROOF OF
the fact that we were not talking idly
when we said all our members would
obey the strike order" said Lee. we !
knew IHey WOulu- -eNely N'N Va
them"
1t was agreed with the railroads, he
added, that in the event of the men
failing TO receive word of the change
in the situation and going on strike,
the railroads should not attempt to
discipline them in any way. Mr. Lee |
said he was confident the misunder-
standing would be Strengthened out
before midnight tonight, and that
those who had left their places would !
have returned to work by that time. |
The decision late today to postpone |
the strike for forty-eight hours was
reached only after three of the presi-
dents Misunderstanding of the In
terror Lane, Secretary of Labor Will ,
son and Daniel WilIard--had laborcd |
almost necessarily since early last
night with the four brotherhood |
chiefs and the conference committee |
of railroad managers,
Gompcrs Arrives.
Samuel Gompers, president of the !
American Federation of Labor, who |
also was appointed mediator did |
not arrive in this city until tonight, |
explaining that he had been at Attain |
tic City and did not learn that his |
presence was desired here until this
While it was generally understood |
that tentative agreement had been
reached, all who participated in the |
maintained silence until |
Mr.. Lee made his statement tonight
The head of the trainmen's brother
hood intimated that concessions had
been made by the railroads and that
they probably would be acceptable to
I,n 10
these, simply saying:
II believe that by Monday we shall
reach an agreement which will avert
O strike"
important Considerations.
From other sources regarded as au-
it was learned, however,
that three important considerations
entered into the negotiations. These
were:
Pressure of public opinion against,
the strike.
The possibility of decision Mon
day by the supreme court on the CON
of the Adamson law.
The proposal that the railroads ac-
cept the brotherhoods' Interpretation
of the law in the event of its being
upheld.
Mr.. Lee admitted that the possibil-
ity of a decision by the supreme
court on Monday had been discussed
as well as the Interpretation to be
placed upon the law by both sides to
the controversy in the event ut its
being declared constitutional.
Arbitration Likely to Win.
1t was learned that the question up
permost for consideration tomorrow
was to determine the attitude of the
brotherhoods and the railroads in
The event of the Adamson law not
being upheld by the supreme court.
In quarters close to both factions it
Was said that tentative agreement
had been reached and that