Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-11
UNIONS TO OFFER
COMPROMISE PLAN
IN 8-H0UR ISSUE
Settlement of Serious Rail
road Controversy Fore
cast by Proposal.
REGARDLESS OF COURTS
ACTION ON ADAMSON LAW
Brotherhood Chiefs Arrange Con-
ference With Railroad Off
cials for Next Thursday.
SEND ASSURANCES no WILSON
Strike VIII Not BE Permitted to En-
barrass Government i'm
Event OF War.
REGARDLESS OF COURTS
ACTION ON ADAMSON LAW
SEND ASSURANCES ro WILSON
Strike VIII Not BE Permitted to En-
barrass Government in
Event OF War.
NE ArsnrIntcu rrnss

By Associated Press
CLEVELAND. ONO. March io-Sct
uemcnt OF tn" railroad eight hour con :
trovcrsy. irrespective Of whether rho
supreme Court holds the Adanson las.
constitutional Or unconstitutional was
forecast today by action Of the big
GcSt ana most important conference OF
brotherhood leaders held since tho
grave hour SIN months ago. when !.
nation wide strike imp.nded.
Announcement of the four u,iious'
compromise ldan. to be threshed out
at meeting with railroad officials IN
New York next Thursday, came si,mul-
tancously with the revelation that the
brotherhood chiefs had notified Pres
idcnt Wilson that "A strike or threat :
chcd str.ke would not be- permitted Ia
embarrass the government, III case the
United states MAS drawn into WAY
y statement Was rivcu out signed by
Warren ;. stone. grand chief Of The
engineers: l.. t.. Sheppard. acting pres
idcnt 81 the conductors: w < Garter.
president Of the fremon nud engine
men. and w. -. Ice, president OF tho
tra:nnicn. announcing that - plan Of
settlement Of the controversy drafted
by tho brotherhood heads had been ap-
proved by tho chairm.n OF local com :
mittccs, $40 in all. who met here to
day. They represented tn" Middle
States, While the details OF the set :
tlcmcnt plan were not divuigcd. il Was
stated that the union representatives
would lay before railroad officials a
compromise plan based the cm-
+, ployces' fight for an cight-hour day.
DECIDE TO RENEW EFFORTS
TO OBTAIN SUPPLEMENT-
1T was decided TO renew efforts TO
obtain a settlement" the official state
ment said and a meeting has been
arranged with the national confcrcnc.
committee OF tile railroads 10 he held
in New York, Thursday, March L."
President Lee. OF the trainmcn,
speaking for the brotherhood chiefs,
announced that meeting similar To
to-day's conference would be held in
Washington neX, Tuesday. when tho
plan will be presented for approval
TO the charncn OF southern railway
systems. Tho plan Viii be submitted
for the approval OF the chairmen OF
Eastern roads a, Il meeting in New
York next Wednesday,.
To-day's meeting WAS attended hy
representatives OF men employed on
III. New York Central lines. east and
west OF Buffalo. including the Mchi-
gan Central. the Big -Four and the
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railroad,
and tho Pennsylvania, Nickel Plate.
Baltimore and Ohio and other roads.
The settlement conference with the
railroad officials viii have nothing 10
do with whatever action the Supreme
Court takes in the prescu, test of the
Adamson law" President Lee said. AN
effort Will be made 10 reach an agree
ment that will bring peace between
the railroads and tho men if the law
IS held unconstitutional. An effort also
will he made to work out a plan that
viii effectively take tho place of the
Adamson law. III case IL is held un-
constitutional.
The four chief executives issued the
following statement:
=. meeting WAS held at Cleveland
March 10 by representatives of the four
train and engine organizations, the
Brotherhood OF Locomotive Engineers.
Order Of Railway Conductors, Brother
hood Of Locomotive Fircmcn and I'm
ginemen. the brotherhood of Railroad
Train,nen, i'll response TO Il ca issued hv
the chief executive. FOR the purpose of
comforting as to the situation regard :
ing a settlement of tho eight hour day
proposition. 1t WAS decided to renew
efforts to obtain Il settlement. and a
meeting has been arranged with the
national conference committee Of the
railways. 10 be held in New York on
Thursday. March IL.
The 400 chairmen of the four trans
portation organizations attending the
meeting reported the conditions exist :
ing on their various systems AS even
worse than on September u, 1916. when
the Adamson cight-hour law was en-
acted. They compla incd bitterly be-
cause the men they represent arc work :
ing for the same rates Of pay and
longer hours and worse conditions than
prior to the enactment OF such law,
and called attention to the fact that
nearly all classes of labor had been
given substantial increases in wages
during the past year.
''Fhcy authorized the chief cxccu-
iivos to press the mattcr to an early
conclusion. and while the situation is
grave, the chief executives feel hopcfu,
of effectins peaceful settlement when
they meet the committc.
Tho men feel. and their officers sun
port them I'm tho opinion. that the rail
road companies shall obey the law as
intended by Congress and the Prcsi-
dent Of tho United Statoa thus giving
the men the benefit from January /.
instead OF rcsortins TO the courts
tSigncd) wv. S. STONE
Grand Chiof Engineer. Il. of l.. l..
~. E. SHEPPARD.
Acting President. O. of II. c.
wv. S. CARTER.
president B. Of l.. l.. & t.