Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-19

est use of the roads at a time of Sc
we're national strain. The committee
considered the matter and decided
that in view of the action of Congress,
in passing the Adamson law and the
necessity for immediate action, that
it was best to adopt at once the mem
orandum agreement of the previous
day as applicable under all condi-
tions. Then the provisions of the
eight-hour law, by an agreement be-
tween the roads and the men, became
the basis of the settlement and wheth-
er the Supreme Court holds for the
validity of the law or against it, there
will be no strike.
(Signed)
"FRANKLIN *. LANE,
''W. b. WILSON,
DANIEL WILLARD,
SAMUEL GOMPERS."
Letter to Lee
The committee sent the following
letter to Elisha Lee chairman of the
conference committee of the railways:
I'VE are in receipt of your favor of
this date, placing in our hands for
Immediate adjustment the matter of
the differences between your commit
tee and the brotherhoods.
we have brought this letter be-
fore the brotherhoods with the state
ment that in our judgment it was ad-
visable to put into effect the provis-
ions of the Adamson law whether it
be held valid or otherwise. This was
acceptable to them. Thus by your own
action-urged thereto by the highest
reasons of national concern, you have
avoided a national calamity.
I'VE would be delinquent'i in a true
sense of gratitude if we failed to eX-
press our sincere appreciation of the
action you have taken. We trust that
it promises n long period sf hearty
cooperation between the railroad
managements and their employees"
Victory For Lee
The first intimation that the strike
had been averted came unexpectedly
at 12.45 o'clock this morning when a
representative of the railroad man
ayers conference committee called
up the Associated Press and an
nounced ''the strike is off," Several
hours elapsed before the settlement
agreement was signed and the broth
erhood chiefs telegraphed division Of
ficers resembling the strike order
w. G.. Lee, head of the trainmen,
and spokesman for the brotherhood
of chiefs, declared to-day that the set
tlement OF the controversy was the
greatest victory ever won for labor"
Nearly 100000 men," he said,
have won the eight-hour day with
out sacrificing a cent of their money
go back to our men with the greatest
thing ever put over for labor"
All-Night Session
The agreement which aVerted the
strike was signed in Secretary Lanes
room at 515 this morning. AS the
last of the nine to sign it attached his
signature the tension in the little
chiefs shook hands with one another
and with each of the Washington
mediators.
The sun was just touching the
white front Of the neighboring sky
scrapers with light. AS the dozen
broke in little groups the room sud-
denly became silent when w. II. Car
ter. of the firemen and engineers,
looking out, said:
Why, look out there. It's the dawn
of a new day." Most of those present
thought he had expressed the feeling
of all for it was the first time in many
years that there has been much evil
dence of friendly feeling between the
men who run the trains and the men
who manage them.
Moved by Patriotism
, At the bottom of it all it was the
spirit of patriotism that carried the
day.
When Mr. Lane saw that it was use
less to argue further for q compromise,
ne talked only on the tnenle OF patriot
ism. He pictured Uncle Sam with his
hands tied behind his back facing Il
foe across the Atlantic. He said the
time had come in the nations history
for an interlocSing of it's industries
that there might be a united front 10
q foreign foe.
IT don't want you to have to-mor-
row come" he said, land find the
100000, 900 people of the United States
face to face with two horrors-one the
destruction of our ships by an enemy,
and the other the possible starvation
of our people and the certain paralysis
of our industries
1t was this speech which won the
day. The managers went back to.their
conference and voted unanimously to
yield.