The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-16
BROTHERHOODS ARE
 MAKING BIG MISTAKE
 IN CALLING STRIKE
,contlnued from Page onel

the railroads must give them an eight
 hour day with a 1o-honr pay.
 Congress last September, on the insist ence of the President, who was then 8
 candidate for reelection, surrendered completely to the chiefs and granted them
 by means of the Adamson bill, everything
 they desired. This legislation is not eff
 fective because it is pending before the
 supreme court. The decision of the court
 was expected last Monday That it will
 be forthcoming next Monday is confi-
 dently believed. The chiefs are criticised
 by those who formerly befriended them
 because they are declining to await the
 decision of the court, and by so doing are
 displaying little regard for that court, for
 the President, Congress and the public
 large
 IS IT A BLUFF?
 There is belief in some quarters that the chiefs are bluffing. There was belief last September that the chiefs were bluffing Because Congress surrendered to them last fall, it was never ascer- tained just what power over the great
 bcdy of employees the chiefs possess-just
 how extensive is their dominion, There is no question now, however, but that 1
 be called.
 Pending the decision of the supreme court there is no doubt but that the railroad managers will decline to surren- der For 1t is true that at present, popu-
 lar support is given the managers. 1t is equally true that the President will not again accede to their demands. Con gress is not in session and the members thereof cannot even for political req lsot,, ,,.l& f,1 fn, Ixr tentative support. It is believed that the people will make no concerted demand that the chiefs be further modified. So it begins to appear certain that the chiefs will be forced to carry out their threats to the limit of their ability or stand convicted of having palpably att tempted to cajole the managers into
 granting them undue favors.
 BURDEN ON CONGRESS In view of the threatening and rapidly developing situation, 1t is recalled with re- gret by certain members of Congress that the President did not force Congress, as he forced it last September, to complete the administrations antistrike pro- gramme. Especially is this regret perti- ! nent in view of possible war with Ger many.
 In December, the President having in l September, knuckled to the brawny mas ters, urged Congress to enact a law mak- | ing impossible a legal strike prior to the investigation by a constituted authority l of the merits involved in the industrial complication The President did not ag- 1 gressively insist on that legislation, and Congress, fearing the effects of what
 might be construed as anti-labor legisla- ton, did nothing.
 The President also asked for authority | to draft into the service of the govern ment railroad systems and railroad crews in time of war or great danger of war. The President did not fight for the pas sage of this proposed legislation Con- gress did nothing. As a reslt, in the event of a strike, the chiefs can Ego the 1 limit" and Congress can get what satis- l faction it may be able to find in knowl- edge that it declined to do anything for the protection of the public
 THE EARNEST PATRIOTS I It is true that the brotherhood chiefs 1 have wired expressions of unaltering af- l lection for the President and for the United States. On the eve of tying the nation hand and foot and handing it over to it's enemies, these chiefs have for mally declared their intention of stand l ing for "their" country in the event of war with Germany. One might conclude as the result of the foregoing that these chiefs have assiduously studied and with fine skill completely mastered the sub tletry and artifice of Uriah Heep. Conservative members of Congress de- clare that such conduct as the chiefs and their following promise to resort to must result in either governmental control of railroads or governmental ownership. The public, some of these days, some mem bers think, will insist on an inning of their own