The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-03-19
MEN WIN DEMANDS
BIG STRIKE is
CALLED OFF
Railway Managers COnCede Eight
Hour Day with len Hours Pay
AOAMSON LAW is UPHELD
Supreme Court Decision Today Ce-
clares Congress Has Power to
Fix Wages.


managers have met the full demands
of the brotherhood leaders and the
threatened country wide strike has
been declared off The railway
managers declare patriotic motives
were a large factor in the decision
Sooner than permit the impression to
go forth both in America and
abroad, that the country could be dis
rupted at such time of national
crisis, they decided to grant the de-
mands of the men for an eighthour
day with ten hours pay and pro ratio
pay for overtime. They also stated
that the decision would add $1,00O,00O
week to the pay rolls of the coun-
try's railroads.
Washington, March l9.-The Adam.
son eight-hour day law is valid, ac-
cofding to a ruling handed down by
the United States supreme court to-
day.
The court held that congress had
the power to legislate in the fixing of
wages and the decision reverses the
decision of Judge William c. Hook
of the United States district court
handed down at Kansas City.
The vote stood to 8, Judges Pit
ney, Day and Vanderventer dissent
ing. Judge Day read the dissenting
opinion.
New York, March 1S-Secretary Of
the Interior Lane, spokesman for the
Presidents mediators, who are at
tempting to avert a general railroad
strike, announced at II O'Clock to-
night after a day of conferences with
the brotherhood chiefs and the rail.
road managers, that there had been
no change in the situation.
1--WE have been negotiating all day.
Mr.. Lane said. There was no Joint
meeting to both sides. There is no
change in the situation
Equally reticent were Elisha Lee,
chairman of the managers commit
tee, and w G. Lee, spokesman for the
brotherhoods. Both refused to com
ment on this phase of the situation or
to give any intimation of what had
transpired at the sessions during the
day.
See Mr.. Lane" they said.
While no official information was
available, there was reason to believe
that the mediators. who are acting as
representatives OF President Wilson,
had asked for no further postpone
ment of the strike, after the expira-
tion of the forty-eight hours truce
urbfc ct rfrinrE
night, if no agreement is reached in
the meantime
The agreement reached yesterday
will avert hostilities between the men
and their employees il the Supreme
Court hands down decision tomor-
row declaring the Adamscn law con.
stitutional.
Washington, March 1S-President
Wilson in view of the added serious
ness given to the foreign situation by
the sinking of three American ships
by German submarines. became deter
mined today that the threatened na-
tion-wide railroad strike must be pre-
vented at all hazards.
What further steps to avert the
strike he will take If the mediatory eff
forts of members of the Council of
National Defense in New York fail
were not disclosed, If they had been
decided upon.
The President was hopeful tonight
that the railroad managers and the
representatives of the brotherhoods
would reach an agreement on their
own account as patriotic duty. and
thus make unnecessary any further
move on his part.
Before the beginning of the negoti
ations now in progress the heads Of
the brotherhoods sent the President
a message assuring him that in case
the United States became involved in
war they would stand by the Govern
ment
The Administration takes the view
that the time for making good this
promise has now practically come. Re
gardless OF whether the Supreme
Court hands down q decision in the
Adamson eight-hour law case tomor-
row. Government officials think an i'm
mediate settlement must be reached.
Interest turned intensely today up
on tomorrow's opinions in the Su
preme Court. Anticipation that the
Court might then announce its long
awaited decision upon the constitu-
tionality of the Adamson law was.
however without other than pure
speculative basis.