The Washington herald., 1917-01-08
TRIAL OF S-HOUR
MEASURE OPENS;
LABOR DEFIANT
Warren S. Stone, ofEngineerS
Says Strike Is BY No
Means Impossible"
BRILLIANT LEGAL ARRAY
Trainmen Prepared to Fight Subs6-
tute Legislation to the
Last Trench.

The renewed threat OF natioD-v1os
railroad strike. and the merits Of rhe
controversy between the railroads Of the
country and their operating employees VII
today become the subject Of strenuous
government effort
The United States Supreme Court wfn
hear arguments in the suit brought TO
est the constitutionalty OF the Adam
on s-hour law which President Wilson
forced through Congress to avert the
threatened strike last December. The sd-
ministration will renew its efforts 10
force early action in the Senate Inter
state Commerce Committee Of President
Wilson's program OF additional railroad
legislation. Representative Adsmson.
fight to secure consideration IN the House
for his new railroad bill, including a COM
bination S-boUr day and compulsory In
vesugation strike law.
Engineer Chief on Hand.
With the government prepared to make
strenuous efforts TO meet the situation
Warren S. Stone, chief Of the Brother
hood OF Locomotive Engineers IL In
Washington 10 see that the brotherhood
interests are safeguarded, declared last
night that the present controversy be-
tween the railroads and the brotherhoods
was serious. He said that he could not
speak authoritauvely or finally without
consulting the leaders Of the other broth
erhoods, but that he believed a strike or
der was by no means an impossIbility."
President Stone, OF the engineers and
H E Lewis, legislative agent Of the
same organization. will make a fight
against the Presidents railroad program
and against the new Adamson bill The
brotherhoods are unalterabIy opposed 10
the proposal in both the President',
measures and the Adamson bin which
would suspend strikes, pending investira-
uon by the Federal government They
characterize the provision as Imposing
involuntary servitUde" on the men. II
Is expected that the brOtherhoods win
also oppose the straight "eight-hour-
day provision OF the new A-tanason rim
which would disregard entirely the cues
uon Of wages. The present law in,ureS
lhe railroad workers their present tan
hours pay for eight hours work.
No Railroad Counsel
President Stone said that the railroad
men would not be represented BY counsel
In the case before the Supreme Court
today although he will attend 70 he,-
the argument The test case Is one An
which the District Court Of the Western
District OF Missouri granted an intuno-
ton to the receivers OF the Missouri.
Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad, restraining
District Attorney Francis NJ Wilson
from enforcing the Adamson law.
The lower court held that the law WAS
unconstitutional
The railroads, which had brought
numerous suits throughout the United
States, agreed TO hold the other suits in
allegiance and accept the Missouri case
as a test a result practically all OF
the railroads OF the country will be rep
resented in today's argument, which will
he conducted for the roads by Walker
n. Hines. chairman OF the committee OF
counsel for the various lines
Special assistant TO the Attorney Cen
eral, Frank HaEerman. Assistant At
torney General Underwood assistant to
the Attorney General C. Carroll Todd.
and Solicitor General Davis will appear
for the government