Evening journal., 1917-11-22
IN The PRESIDENTS HANDS
(From the New York sunj.

Speaking for all the railways today
we relterate our belief in and general
acceptance Of the principle of arbitra-
tion,' the American Railway War Board
informs the United States Board Of Me-
diation. This happens to be the Official
route Of what is really a message from
the railway executives OF the country
to the President and people Of the Uni
ted States. The message continues:
In the midst Of war we are, how
ever, prepared to go further. As no in
terruption Of the country's railroad
operation can be tolerated under war
conditions, we are ready, should any
crisis now arise, unreservedly to place
our interests in the hands Of the Presi-
dent for protection and for disposition
as he may determine Is necessary for
/ the public interest"
Fifteen months ago, when the United
! States was not at war, several hundred
/ thousand men engaged in train opera
! tlon threatened to bring TO a dead stop
! all rail transportation throughout the
nation. They refused to arbitrate a de-
mand for more pay.
The President Of the United States
took it upon himself to prevent such a
| calamity as a national railway strike
by summoning TO Washington the re-
presentatlyes of these workers and the
railway managers. Tho President con-
fcrred with both groups.
lt was open To Mr.. Wilson TO insist
upon the arbitration Of the wage dis
pute. He did not do that. Instead he
appealed to Congress to enact in all
! haste legislation covering this and any
/ subsequent controversies Of the kind
that might arise, but also containing
/ the specific rule Ter which the defiant
tranmen were fighting-thal ,ighl
hours on duty, or a 100 mile run, should
be paid for as a days work at The
rates then obtaining for a days work
Congress complied by making haste
1t also complied by passing a law Civ
ing the irainmen what they wanted
Congress did not comply with Mr.. vii
sons request by onacting a law or laws
10 govern HE settlement Of such crises
in the future. Mr.. Wilson took wha
Congress Eaye him and was thankful
therefor, the trainmen took what Con
gress gave them at the Presidents be
hest-it WIS the full measure Of Nha
they deslrd-and were possibly thank
ful for it We do not recall that the,
expressed gratitude TO any one, how
ever
Half a year went by. The AdamsoI
law, giving the trainmen eight hou
pay, was in effect. Payment of in
creased WAGES under it was deferred un
Oil the courts should pass on its con
stitutionaliiy This irked the tralnmea
They renewed their threat to strike
The country was on the brink Of war
AZ last. through the Intervention o
the ablest member Of President Wi
sons ofllcial family, the new crisis wa
surmounted--how? BY arbitration? No
BY concessions by both sides? Mos
certainly not.
Tho railways conceded every point
They agreed TO the wage increases pay
able under the Adamson law uncondi
tiOnally and irrespective Of the lawi
constitutionallty. They did this not be
cause they believed the law Just, no
because they believed the wage in
creases justified. not because the,
thought that a decision Of the Suprem'
Court OF the United States should bl
either anticipated or nulli1ed I'm ad
vance
Franklin H. Lane, coming from th,
White House, had brought the solemn
assurance Of the President that patriot
ism demanded an immediate compost
tion Of the revived quarrel. His appea
to the leaders Of the tranmen TO bid
a few days for the courts decision fel
on deaf ears his appeal to their Ameri