The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-03-20
ADAMSON LAW
IS HELD VALID
STRIKE IS OFF
Railroads Yielded from Pat
riotisn-Means
$60,O0O,ooO
SUPREME COURT
VOTE WAS 6-a
Congress Can Fix Maxi.
mum and Minimum Wage
Is the Opinion
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.
New York, March 19.-The rail-
road strike has been averted. Yield
ing to the appeal of President Will
son, and facing the. probability of
this country's entrance into the world
war, the railroads early today grant
ed the demands of the four en-
ployed brotherhoods for basic eight
hour day.
The decision is regarded as COM
plete surrender to the brotherhoods,
brought about, however, after the
patriotism of the railroad managers
had been put 70 the test.
Secretary OF the Interior Lane and
the other mediators were visibly af
fectetd when told of the action of
the railroad managers. Mr.. Lane sent
Immediately for the committee of the
railroads, and turning to Elisha Lee,
their spokesman said:
"This is a magnificent thing you
have done for your country. 1t will
go down in history as one of the
greatest things youever did"
BY the terms of the settlement the
: combined salary lists Of the railroads
will be increased approximately $780,
I 100000 a year, according to con-
, sentative estimates.
Adamson Law Constitutional,
Z WASHINGTON, March 10, - The
, Adamson eight-hour railroad law
was held constitutional and valid in
! all respects today by the supreme
court. The decision makes eight
hours the standard of days work
and wages for men in operation of
trains, and legalizes the wage in
creases which went into tentative eff
feet on its passage.
The courts decision was six to
three, with Justices Dav, Pitney and
Van de Vanter dissenting.
! Federal judge Hooks ruling, in
the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf
Railroad test, enjoining enforcement
of the Adamson act and holding il
Unconstitutional, null and void" was
reversed.
Justice McKenna concurred in the
majority opinion, but on SLIGHTLY diff.
ferent grounds. Justice Day read his
own dissenting opinion, and Justice
Pitney delivered the other dissenting
opinion, in which Justice Van de
Vanter joined.
Dissenting Opinion.
Justices Pitney and Van de Van
ter, in their joint dissenting opinion
held that the law should be held un
constitutional and void because con
gress, although confessedly not il
possession of information necessar,
for intelligent and just treatment O.
the controversy, arbitrarily imposed
on the railroads the entire and enor
nous cost of an experimental in
crease in wages"
Justice Day, in his dissenting opin
ion, said the legislation amounted t.
deprivation of the railroads prop
, erty without due process of law"
In concurring in the majority opin
ion, Justice McKenna differed in tina
he believed the law can hours o
T service" statute and only secondaril
a wage-fxing law, and thus With
9 the power of congress.
: Justice McReynolds delivered
separate opinion, saying congress
! did not have power to pass the Law
but that he now bows to the major
ity's ruling.
! Can Fiv Trainmen's Wages.
e In dissenting, Justice McReynold
: said that congress did not have powe
e to enact the law, but that the major
c ity decision gives it authority to fl
e trainmen's maximum and minimum
wages, "to require compulsory arb
tration of labor disputes which ma
y seriously jeopardize movement {
traffic and to take measures effet
: lively to prevent the free flow {
5 commerce against any combination
e whether of operatives, owners, {
n strangers"
: The majority opinion, as delivere