The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-31
RAILWAY WORK ! x
ERS SEE RROBLElN
Affiliated Broherhoods Prepare
to State Position Regard
ing Their Views
LINE UP WITH THE
LABOR FEDERATION

LABOR FEDERATION
Conference to Be Held in Wash
ington With Samuel Com
pers
Washington, Dec. 27.-The attitude
of organized railway employees to-
ward the anti-strike provision Of. the
Cunlmins railroad bill will be formally
stated in declaration Of principles to
tc drafted by the heads of all the
brotherhoods at conferences here
Monday with President Gompers OF
the American Federation Of Labor. La
Dor leaders declared today that moth
ing was to be expected" but the. gem
eral view among organized workers
was that the affiliated trades wottid
stand by the railway machiniStS un-
! ion which voted to quit work .ifscon-
gress enacted the anti-strtke provis-
ion. Senator'S and representatives noW
in Washington expressed the oplnicn,
however that the house never would
accept the bill as it came from. the
senate and that even if it should; pass
President Wilson would veto it,: 80. -
The possibility of a presidential,
veto has been given serious consider
alton by members OF congress who
realize the necessity Of enacing
proper legislation before the roads are
handed back to their owners on March
I. Labor leaders in discussing this
eventuality, also called attention. to-
day to this statement by the president
ir his message to congress four weeks
ago.
'vThe right Of individuals to. strike.
kis inviolate and ought not to be inter
fered with by any process Of govern
ment but there is a predominant
right Of the government to protect. gil
Of its people and to assert its sppWer'
and majesty against the challenge OF
any class" - ~. ,,,,s s, i
This one sentence was variously in-
terpreted-by brotherhood officers as
a virtual announcement by the pres;
dent that he would not sign a bill ds.
nylng the right to strike-anh De
Senator Cumnins and others as notice
by the president that even II the right
20 strike was inviolate, the rights of
he public stood over and above. it.
Regardless OF what action might be
taken by the brotherhoods the. belief
prevailed in congressional circles that
when senate and house conferees go
through with the Cunmins and Escl1
bills no vestige OF the anti-strike sec
ton will remain. The conference
will begin work next week after Sem
i ator Cummins and Senator Kellogg:
;. Republican, Minnesota, return here
from North Carolina.
All Of the senate conferees voted for
the labor clause and are expected TO
make hard fight in conference for
its retention. On the straight sem
ate test an amendment to eliminate
the section was defeated, 80 to 81.
Some idea Of the attitude Of the house,
however, was given today by MEM
bers who said that the .anti-strike
clause could not command SO votes IN
that body.
The heads Of the four big brother
hoods and ten affiliated trades will be
here Monday for the conference with
President Gompers, which was called
for the specific purpose Of consider
ing pending railroad legislation.
Committees representing the six shop
labor union had an appointment with
Director General Hines for considera-
| p,,% mo
that this might be postponed until
Tuesday.
It was said that the conference had
nothing in common, although it was
admitted that the situation respecting
wage demand was somewhat changed
in view of President Wilson'S decision
to turn back the roads in two
months. In view Of the short period
OF government control there was
feeling in some quarters that the di-
rector general might refuse to saddle
a wage increase on the roads on the
eve of their return to private opra-
ton. Most of the leaders insisted that
the demands would not be rejected
since President Wilson had promised
to get more wages for. the railroad
men. a.::,sa,;.. -.
Although every effort will be made
to expedite railroad legislation :sott1e
doubt was expressed today whether
The Esch and Cummins bill could be
cut to pieces and put together again
by the time set for the end of federal
control Of the roads.
Meanwhile great pressure is being
! t,oN ~
senate and house to speed up work.
but there is little hope Of getting the
bill out of conference before the end
Of January.