Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-05
RAIL UNIONS SEE
WARON 8-HOUR DAY
BrotherhoodS Charge Plot by
Executives to Repeal
AdamSOn Law.
by FREDERIC WILLIAM WEE.

Official Spokesman of the powerful
railroad otherhcods scent danger TO
tie S-hour day. They charge the
Association of Railway Executives
with plotting the repeal OF the Adam
son law, whereby a 4S-hour week
came into existence by act of Congress
during the war. The broth hoods
declare that the report of the Rail
way Executives special committee,
submitted at the end of June, is open
TO no other construction. The re-
port il the result of three years study
by a committee appointed Ia 1924 ut
the suggestion of the Interstate Com
merce Commission. Its purpose was
to evolve ways and means of "Stabil-
izin" EMPLOYMENT" Daniel Willard,
president of the Baltimore & Ohio, WAS
chaiSma., of the committee, which
frankly advocates elasticity" in the
schedule of working hours, as means
of avoiding dismissal of rail employees
during slack seasons.
Quotes From Executives Report.
The portion of the Railwa. Execu-
tiveS reportwhich has aroused the
ire and anxiety of the brotherhoods
reads:
Information which has come to
this committee during its study of
the problem suggests the desirahility
of a more flexible day than exists
in many places at the present time
as an element to be considered in
the sterilization of labor.
While there seems to be a general
tendency at the present time to rec
ogniZe the eight-hour day in most
lines of employment, there is much
TO be said in favor of certain
elasticity in the number of hours to
be worked.
IF the day could be increased from
to 2. and even 10 hours, in times
of business activity, such a policy
would enable the carriers to employ
a more uniform force throughout the
year and avoid the necessity of lay
ing off or furloughing large numbers
Of men in times Of business recess
SION
Labor Takes Up Challenge"
Labor, militant organ of the rail-
road brotherhoods at Washington an
nounces that the mems organizations
will promptly and determinedly take
tended, the executives have now
thrown down. 1T can be said at
once" the current issue of Labor
SAYS, that the rail labor organiZa-
tions will fight this reactionary pro-
poSal with every ounce of power
they possess. Though the fact is
carefully concealed from the average
reader, who does not know railroad
working conditions and agreements, |
this proposal of a flexible working
day is wage-reGuction scheme. |
Railroad workers cannot conceal their |
surprise that Dan Willard and Pat |
Crowley should have set their names |
to such q report
The executives committee, which |
framed what Labor pillories as an
astounding program" consists OF
Daniel Willard chairman, L. w. |
Baldwin of the Missouri Pacific. H. e.
Byram, co-receiyer of the St. Paul;
w. Fl. Cole of the Louisville & Nash |
vile, P. E. Crowley of the New York |
Central, c. r. Gray of the Union
Pacific, l.. F. Loree of the Delaware
& Hudson, E. J. Pearson of the New
York, New Haven & Hartford, and
Samuel Rea, former president of the 1
PENNSYLVANIA.
Say Hours Now Are FLEXIBLE"
Railroad workers argue that their
hours are flexible" now. They say
that any employee can be kept on
the job beyond the eight-hour period,
II emergency requires. and frequently
is But If he works more than eight
hours he gets excess pay. What the
brOtherhoods are pointing out Is tnat |
If the day is made flexible" as the
executives suggest, excess pay for
extra hours would be abolished. This, |
the workers claim. is equivalent to
reducing wages.
Willard Makes Denial.
President Willard denies there Is |
any intention to impose extra hours |
on the men. He says:
THE proposal was made for labor |
TO consider, as well as the railroads. |
The plan would be for the men to
work an extra hour or two each day |
in rush periods only, instead of fore |
ing the railroads to employ extra |
men, who have to be discharged at
the end of the seasons of increased
activity.
Adoption of the arrangement
would mean extra money for the men
Curing the periods of increased activ
ity When business returned to nor
malcy the men would only work eight
hours a day"
To all of which Labor, the brother
hoods newspaper, retorts, IF the
camel of longer hours once gets his
nose into the tent he never will rest
till he ia kes full possession"