Evening star., 1917-03-13
The Railroad Strike Threat.

1t is stated that unless an agreement
can be reached meantime freight engi-
neers, iremen, conductors and trainmen
on seven large eastern railroads will
strike next Saturday for the eight
hour day. If then the railroad
managers do not yield the freight
crews on all the other eastern and
southeastern railroads with one e1-
ception will quit work on Monday.
Should this fail to bring the railroads
to terms, on Tuesday the freight crews
of all the western roads will strike, and
this failing of success on Wednesday
next all passenger train workers in all
parts of the country will leave their
posts. In short, if the eight-hour day
demands of the operatives are not grant
ed in season the entire railroad system
of this country will be paralyzed by a
week from tomorrow.
Is this a bluff No man is qualified
at this time to say. Not even the lead
ers of the brotherhoods, now in session
here, can positively know how far the
operatives enrolled in their organiza-
tions are determined to go in their de-
mands. Thursday meeting will be held
between the representatives of the
workers and of the corporations. This
strike threat will doubtless be used as
weapon.
A decision on the constitutionality of
the Adamson eight hour law is now ex-
peeted from the Supreme Court of the
United States. 1t was looked for eager
ly yesterday, but was not forthcoming.
The operatives declare that they cannot
wait longer and plan the first of their
progressive strikes for Saturday and the
second for Monday morning, so that
even if the Supreme Court should rule
next Monday more than half of the
freight service in the country will be
paralyzed by the time of the announce
ment. This urgency on the part of the
brotherhoods is incomprehensible in
view of the present condition of ma
tional affairs. They are showing a dis
respect for the court by thus openly
proclaiming their intention to strike
pending decision, with no change in the
conditions which led to enactment now
under judicial scrutiny.
A general strike on the railroads Of
this country would be public disaster
of the greatest kind in any case, but
just at this juncture, with the country
on the verge of break with foreign
power, it would be a catastrophe beyond
measurement. Unfortunately the Presi-
dent has no specific powers, such as he
requested Congress to grant him last
summer at the time the Adamson law
was passed, but there can be little ques-
tion of his authority in the event of
war with Germany to put the railroads
of this country by executive order un-
der government operation. In any case,
the new Congress would doubtless grant
him the fullest authority to this end if
the occasion should arise. The only real
peril arises from the lapse of month
before Congress can convene The
pledge given a week ago by the brother
hood chiefs of ''hearty and full support"
in ease of war is not, it seems, an as
su,anee against crippling of the trans
portation system of the country in the
days of preparation against hostilities
The sudden precipitation of this issue
by the brotherhoods is a violation of
the spirit of their patriotic pledge to the
President which will inevitably react
against them.