The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-19
Appeal to Patriotism by Medi-
atOrs Moves Managers.
COncede All Demands of Union
for S-HOur Day.
AEDIA1ORS PRAISE OPERATORS
National Disaster Averted by
Companies Concession.
Removes All Possibility of a
Nationwide Strike.

| new Ofk, Marcn 19.-Ine railroad
strike has been averted.
| Yielding to President Wilson's ap-
peal and facing the probability of this
| country's entrance into the world war,
the railroads early today granted the
| demands of the four employees broth
erhoods for a basic S-hour day. The
| telegraph wires today are carrying
thruout the United States MESA ages
! from the brotherhood chiefs rescind-
ing the orders for the great progress
SiVe strike tonight. The decision is re-
garded as a complete surrender to the
| brotherhoods brought about after the
| patriotism of the railroad managers
had been put to the test. The presi-
dents mediators playing what they
| considered their last trump card were
not successful until after more than
| fifty hours of anxious conferences all
| of which pointed a short time before
| the decision was announced to dead
| lock-
| Secretary of the Interior Lane and
| the other mediators were visibly af-
| fected when told of the action of the
railroad managers. Mr.. Lane sent
Immediately for the committee of the
| railroads, and turning to Elisha Lee,
their spok said:
Commend Managers
This is a magnificent thing you
have done for your country. 1t Will
go down in history as great thing.
The brotherhood chiefs, who al
ready had retired for the night appar-
emily convinced that a settlement of
the differences could not be reached.
were summoned next. Their faces
showed the relief they felt from the
strain under which they had labored
since early Friday evening with the
presidents committee.
of an
combined salary list of the railroads
will be increased approximately $780,
| 100000 a year, according TO conSer-
vative estimates. The number of
workmen profiting by this increase
will be more than 300, 900. That the
| crisis resulting from the sinking of
the three American ships by German
submarines was the prime factor in
clearing the situation and restoring
! the country to normal conditions IN
so far as its transportation facilities
were concluded was conceded by all
| The railroad managers and the
brotherhood chiefs had been told OF
the seriousness of the international
situation but the warning had ap2ar-
entity fallen on deaf ears. 1t was evil
| dent that the strike which ally
| had been set for Saturday evening at
| 7 o'clock but had been postponed to
| permit further negotiations undoubt-
| eddy would become effective unless
something more interviewed than the
mere suggestion that the severance of
! diplomatic relations with Germany
might lead to open hostilities.
| Moved by Patriotism.
| The presidents mediators again
| communica ted with the railroad man.
, ayers, however, with the result that
they are said to have voted unani-
mously to yield to the demands of the
| brotherhoodS in order, that neither
at home nor abroad should there be
| fear or hope that the efficient opera
| lions of the railroads of the country
will be hampered or impaired
their result are summed up in the
following statement issued at O'Clock
| this morning by the committee from
the Council of National defense:
| we desire to express our appre
| citation of the large and patriotic
action of the railway managers COM
mittee which has put beyond perad-
| wide railroad strike. The railroads
| have met the full demands of the
/ Adamson S-hour law. This conces-
sion was secured as the elimination
of two days and nights of negotiation.
Our first effort was to secure a
postponement of the strike which was
fixed for Saturday night. This post
ponement was secured by presenting
to the railway managers a memoran-
dunn agreement drafted by the broth
erkoods which with some particular
ity expressed the provisions of the
AdamSon law. We asked the railways
to agree that if the Adamson law was
held to be constitutional this construc-
ton and application would be given to
it. The railways agreed to this at
Continued Page Two)