The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-03-15

eOllpdlly uldudStTS WHO T6dcHeu ueTt
this morning for the conference with
the railway brotherhood officials, it is
rumored, will adopt conciliatory at
titude in an attempt to effect COM
promise.
The first session was held at IL
O'Clock with an adjournment at 1890.
So far as could be learned no conclus-
ion had been reached
New York, March 14.-An appeal to
the patriotism of the members of the
four great railroad brotherhoods to
refrain from any rash movement"
which would bring on industrial war
fare in the present national confer
ence committee of the railways, on
the eve of the conference tomorrow
with the chiefs of the trainmens or
ganizations. There were additional
indications, however. that the broth
erhoods were determined to call
strike unless their demands were
granted.
After a meeting here with several
hundred general chairmen and chair
men OF the locals in the brotherhood
organizations on lines entering New
York, w. G. Lee, president of the
brotherhood Of Railroad Trainmen,
announced that unamious support had
been voted the brotherhood chiefs In
the demands they intend to make at
tomorrows conference. These de-
mands, he said. would be based on the
modified demands of last December.
which called for basic eight.hour
work day and pro rata pay for. over
time. i
This is virtually what the Adamson
law would give, IL put in force, he
said. The original program of the
men, the refusal OF which resulted in
the call last September of the strike
which was averted by the passage of
the Adamson act, included en- eight
hour basic day with time and "a half
for overtime. Mr.. Lee indicated that
there was no intention of going back
to the original claims.
The statement of the national con-
ference committee, signed by it's
chairman, Elisha Lee said in part:,
1--WE are sincerely desirous that
the wages and working conditions of
our employees should be on the high
est plane consistent with the efficient
operation of the railroads. When the
national wage demands of the four
train brotherhoods were made last
year, we felt that they were beyond
reason, entailing as they did. an an
nual increase OF $100000,000 or about
thirty-iiye per cent in the wages of
the 100000 most highly paid workers
in the country.
But we were ready and anxious to
submit this wage controversy for set
tement to some impartial public tri-
bunal. Our offers for peace
full settlement we're all rejected by
the brotherhoods.
Congress has made no provision.
as so earnestly urged by the Presi-
dent, for insurance against the inter
ruption of railroad traffic by strike.
and the country is apparently in the
same position now that it was in the
crisis of last August.
'The serious international situation
causes every good citizen to put
every thought of personal right or de-
sire second to his duty to his coun-
try. Surely this is no time for inter-
udl HluuSlIldl WdTldTe.
With this situation before US. we
feel confident that the patriotism and
loyalty Of our men will not counten-
ance any rash movement which may
seriously embarrass the government
and give the impression outside our
borders that this country is torn by
industrial strife, and, therefore, an
easy prey to any foreign foe"
After they had seen this statement
the brotherhood chiefs issued the fol.
lowing:
THE railroads, after having re-
fused to accept a settlement of the
eight-hour controversy proposed by
President Wilson last August, and af-
ter having refused to observe the
eighthour law enacted by congress,
must accept responsibility for "a
strike, should it take place. 1t is too
late for them to now pose as patriots,
hoping thereby to defeat the just con
tentions of the employees.
1--WE have requested renewal of
negotiations commencing tomorrow
in the hope Of affecting peaceful
settlement"