Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-03-19

and the managers. And with much
difficulty tho chiefs stayed the strike,
an act that was vital to the success
Of our efforts and further mediation.
MANY PROPOSITIONS.
I'VE next sought some adjustment
that would be effective should the law
be held to be unconstitutional. In this
regard many propositions were made to
both sides but none was acceptable un-
til the railroads expressed their will
lingness to place the whole matter in
the hands of this committee.
This action proceeded, as the letter
from the railway managers states,
from a desire to demonstrate to the
country that the railroads would not
allow their own conception OF railroad
policy to stand in the way of the full
lest use of the roads at time of severe
national strain.
The committee considered the mat
ter was decided that in view of the ac-
ton OF congress in passing the Adam
son law and the necessity for imme-
date action that it was best to adopt
at once the memorandum agreement of
the previous day as applicable under
all conditions.
THUS the provision of the eight
hour law. ~ agreement between the
roads and the men, became the basis
of the settlement, and whether the SUI
preme court holds for the validity OF
the law or against it there will be no
strike"
SUNDAY DAY OF DOUBTS.
the conference rooms of the mediators.
The fate OF the administration at
tempt to avert the greatest labor war
in the history of the United States
had stood in the balance all day ready
to be pushed either way.
Railway managers, brotherhood
chiefs and mediators had been in con-
ference throughout the day and most
of the previous night. Messages had
flowed back and forth in a constant
stream.
Then came word of the sinking OF
the three American ships. Half an
hour later the brotherhood chiefs, a
committee from the managers and the
mediators were in a joint session. De-
bate and earnest pleading could be
heard issuing from the little room in
the Biltmore. Then word was passed
to waiting newspaper men at / As a.
m. that the managers would send their
definite answer to the situation in a
few minutes.
Shortly after the brotherhood chiefs
arrived an hour and half later the
message came that the managers had
Internationally surrendered and plac-
q in no nd nf ha
four men who had postponed and then
averted the calamity.
I'VE have been negotiating all day"
Secretary Lane announced. "As a re-
suit, regardless of a decision by the
supreme court, the eight-hour basic
day will go into effect"
LETTER FROM MANAGERS.
Then he made public this letter to
the mediators from the railway man.
ayers:
In the national crisis precipi-
tated by events OF which we
learned this afternoon, the nation
al conference committee of the
railways joins you in the convic-
ton that neither at home nor
abroad should there be fear or
hope the efficient operation of the
railways Of the country will be
hampered or impaired.
Therefore, you are authorized
to assure the nation that there will
be no strike, and as a basis for
such assurance, we hereby author
ize the committee of the Council
of National Defense to grant to
the employees who were about to
strike whatever adjustment your
committee deems necessary to
guarantee the uninterrupted and
efficient operation of the railways
as an indispensable arm of ma
tional defense