American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-01-04

sion.
Surface indications have begun to
appear around headquarters Of the
American Federation of Labor in
Washington, according to a dispatch
to the Statesman, which lead unmis-
takably to the conclusion that the fed
GRAFTON is about ready to urge and to
advocate the repeal of the Adamson
railroad wage law, passed under such
sensational circumstances at the last
session of congress.
II is not that the federation is so
much opposed to the Adamson law,
but that the federation is about ready
TO acknowledge the truth of the con-
tentiOn made last session by Senator
Borah that if the federal congress is
going to regulate wages and hours of
labor, it must go the whole way, and
exercise the power necessary to see
that this legislation is carried out-and
this means compulsory arbitration.
In other words, the federation Of
icials have begun to awaken to the
fact that if the AnamsOn law is to
remain on the statute books, be ii an
eight-hour law, as %contended by its
friends in the late campaign, or a
wage law, as %contended by its OPP
ponents, then congress, as a natural
consequence, must follow out the sec
ond recommendation of President
Wilson, renewed at the opening of the
present session, and pass a cOmpul-
sorry arbitration law.
The federation, rather than see a
compulsory arbitration law on the
statute books, would prefer that con-
gress repeal the Adamson law, and
let the railroad brotherhoods and
other railroad employees in the GUS
tomary way, work out their hours of
labor and wage problems with their
employers.
Just at present, Samuel Gompers,
president of the federation of labor,
is saying nothing, publicly, with regard
to the repeal of the Adamson law,
but other officials, speaking for him,
are going to the pains to point out
that Gompers in the 1914 and 1915
NOA AAOAA1f oRoh0 OB6 o6aAAAo
allowing congress to fix hours of la
Dor or wages, and they also contend
that Mr.. Gompers, when testifying be-
fore a senate committee last fall while
the Adamson bill was pending, advo-
Gated an eight-hour day, but did not
advocate the passage of the Adamson
bill.
IIAuroNrna - rnAn.n that NJ nnnn
ers, now that the president has again
put the compulsory arbitration prob
lem up to congress, has been studying
the situation, and wishing to head off
the new bill, is coming to the con-
clusiOn that the easiest way to ac-
complish such a purpose is to have
the Adamson law repealed. With that
law out of the way, there will not be
the necessity for the arbitration bill
that otherwise will exist.
AS word of the changing attitude
of the American Federation of Labor
is being noised about the national
capital, senators and representatives
who tumbled over one another &c
support the Adamson bill, thinking
that thereby they were currying favor
with the labor unions, are beginning
to wonder just where they are at"
The situation that is developing i:
not without its ludicrous side. The
Adamson law was passed largely by
Democratic votes, to-catch the labor
vote in the fall election, and senator:
and representatives, especially Demo
Gratis, who voted for the bill, USED
their votes in their appeal TO the
laboring voters for support. Th'
Adamson law admittedly caught man!
thousand labor votes for the Demo
Gratis, and especially the nationa
ticket, for it was put forward as thu
best evidence of President Wilson's
belief in the eight hour principle
Now that the election has been VOL
by Mr.. Wilson, and in a large mea
sure because of this law, the very ele
ment among the voters to whom tn,
appeal was made seemingly are get
ting ready to repudiate that statute
Labor Sidesteps Responsibility.
Frank Morrison, secretary Of tn,
American Federation of Labor. whel
interviewed on the Adamson Law