The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-19
Men Win All Grants Made
in Adamson Eight
Hour Act.
COURT RULING NOW
DOES NOT MATTER
Surrender by Managers
Comes as Surprise to
Union Chiefs.
DECISION IS REACHED
AFTER WEARY HOURS
1t Will Mean Cash Award
of S13,OOO,ON to
BrOtherhOOds.


have yielded to all the demands Of tn
big four brotherhoods. In apprecla
ton of the crisis growing out OF tn
sinking OF three American ships the!
made complete surrender to the mel
at l2:45 o'clock this morning.
BY the decision arrived at by the
national conference committee OF tn,
railroad managers the 100000 en-
ployees will gain the eight hour basic
day without loss Of any portion Of thei
present wages and in addition they vii
pro rata overtime. This action by IL,
roads makes unnecessary the decisio
expected to-day from the United State
Supreme Court on the Adamson eight
hour act. Whether the Supreme Cour
holds the act constitutional or uncon-
stitutional, the brotherhood men
through this grant OF the managers
achieve everything guaranteed by that
Jaw
Immediately after the managers con-
veyed their concession to the inedators
the brotherhood men were aroused from
bed and called to the conference room In
the Hotel Bltmore. Their acceptance
was instant. so that at e:45 this morn
in threat OF a strike was over.
This result was obtained after three
nittee OF the Council Of National De-
fence. The medistors were Franklin
h. Lane, Secretary OF the Interior {;
William b. Wilson, Secretary of Labor {:
Daniel willard, president. of the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad. and Samuel
Gompers, president OF the American
Federation of Labor. The letter ad-
dressed TO these adjusters and signed
by Elisha Lee. chairman of the railroad
conference committee, was as follows:
In the national crisis precipitated bv
events OF which we learned this after
noon the national conference committee
of the railways joins with you In the
conviction that neither at home nor
abroad should there be fear or hope that
the efficient operation OF the railways of
the country Will be hampered or i'm
paired.
Therefore you are authorized to as
sure the nation that there will he no
strike. and as basis for such assur-
ance we hereby authorize tho committee
OF the Council on National Defence to
grant to all employees who are about to
strike whatever adjustment your COM
! mittee deems necessary to guarantee the
uninterrupted and efficient operation OF
the railways as an indispensable arm OF
national defence"
Soon after the brotherhood men had
been notified OF the concession, which
guarantees them an addition In wages
Of 100000 week. Secretary Lane,
promising a more complete statement
later in the day. gave out the follow
ing:
Regardless OF the decree OF the United
States Supreme Court, the eight hour
basic day will go into effect The de-
tails are being worked upon now by a
! joint committee which will have It's
| negotiations concluded by noon.'
| The yielding OF the railroads at i2 40
came with startling unexpectedness
into a situation which at midnight had
drained the optimism even OF Secretary
Lane. At that time he and his coll
; leagues. after "A day Of deadlock, in
which the factions seemed irreconcllably
distant. were cropping for some new
means OF bringing them together.
! 1t was at this juncture that the man.
ayers became fully aware Of the tense
! ness In Washington. Voluntarily they
drew up their unconditional surrender
! leaving tho completeness OF 1t entirely
to the discretion OF the mediators.
Men Determined to Hold Gains.
/ Their confidence sustained by the big
/ victory of Saturday over the railroad
managers, the chiefs OF the big Four
met the mediators yesterday. determined
to hold their gains. They went into the
conference room to fght for an eight
hour day on the present daily wage basis