The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-03-16
JOINT CONFERENCES
MAY BE RESUMED
Brotherhoods at Conference
Ending Thursday Night
Refused to Accept a Com
promise Proposal and Also
to Submit the Case to the
Eight-Hour Commission

New York, March l6.-Roth sides in
the threatened railroad strike controver-
sy expressed their willingness to-day to
hold further joint conferences, although
the situation this morning was devoid of
any suggestion that compromise will
be reached which would avert nation
wide transportation tie-up. The indica-
tions were unofficially that both the rail
road managers and the brotherhood chiefs
were marking time pending possible ac-
tion by President Wilson and with each
group prepared to respond to the over
lures of the other side.
The joint conference called for Thurs
day adjourned last evening with the an
nouncement from w G. Lee of the broth
erhoods that there would not be another
conference and that a progressive
strike" Of the 100000 members of the
four great railroad brotherhoods, to begin
at 0 o'clock central timel Saturday
night on the eastern roads, was ordered,
the walk-out to extend to all the rail-
roads in the country within five days.
Chiefs of the workmen's organizations
set the strike machinery in motion with
in few minutes after an ultimatum de-
livered to the conference committee of
railroad managers had been rejected. A
compromise proposal offered by the man
ayers was declined without debate They
also fatty refused to submit their case
to the eight hour commission headed by
Mai. Gen. George W. Goethals. or to
await the decision of the supreme court
on the constitutionality of the Adamson
law.
Freight employees yardmen and engine
hostlers on the New York Central lines,
east and west, the Nickel Plate and Bal
timore 4 Ohio railroads and in the great
yards in Chicago and st. Louis will be
the first to leave their posts.
They will be followed on Sunday by
the same classes of workmen on the
Southern railway, the Norfolk & West
ern, the Virginian, Chesapeake & Ohio
No formal outline of the brotherhoods'
program, beyond the plans for these two
days, was made either to the managers
or to the public. 1t was said, however,
that the freight employees on the other
roads in the country would be called out
in groups at IL or "a hours intervals
after Sunday.
If the paralysis of freight traffic thus
.aused does not result in surrender by
he railroads before that time, the en-
oloyes on all passenger trains will be or
Tered out Wednesday.
When the managers in their counter
proposition at the final momentous con
erence offered to abide by any decree of
he Goethals commission if the Adamson
lct were declared unconstitutional w. G.
zee, president of the Brotherhood of
railroad Trainmen, spokesman for the
employees, declared:
"'That would be only another form of
rbitration and our men are sick and
ired of arbitration"
The brotherhood chiefs contend the de-
nand for the basic eight-hour day for
II classes of work, with pro rata time
or over time would give them only what
hey would gain under the provisions of
he Adamson law. They have abandoned
heir original demand for time and
alf for overtime.
Declaring that the rank and file of
he brotherhood membership had become
Inpatient and would tolerate no further
elay in enforcing their demands, Mr.. Lee
aid. the supreme court might adjourn
'ithout handing down decision on the
damson act In that event, he declared.
nero would be no decision until next
inter. and the men would not wait
The managers refusal to comply with
le ultimstum of the brotherhoods was
ssed upon the contention that they
ust await and abide by the decision
the supreme court on the Adsmson
(. They asserted their willingness 10
limit the whole controversy to the
ght hour commission IL the law Is dc
ared unconstitutional and agreed to ac-
1T anv decree Of the commission.
Pointing out 20 the four chiefs the
ave international crisis which confronts
e nation they appealed TO the patriot
m to prevent a strike at such a june
re in national affairs.
The brotherhood chiefs in a formal
atenent prepared after the final break
pressed Indignation at the attitude
ken bv the railroads IN declaring a
-ike would b. unpatriotic.
aIt goes without saying" the state
m; declared. that the railroad en-
ives have been patient and loyal 70
? interests Of the country and in the