14
STRIKE MAY DELAY
30,000 GUARDSMEN
Will Test Government's Ability
to Move Troops in an
Emergency
Special to the Telegraph
Washington, D. C., Aug. 31. —With
more than 30,000 troops under orders
to move either to or from the border,
military necessity aspects of the Im
pending strike give promise to-day of
furnishing a test of the government's
ability to move troops in emergency.
Fifteen thousand national guards
men have been ordered back to their
state mobilization camps. Previously
some 12,000 guardsmen in mobilization
camps were ordered to the border.
The War Department indicates that
still other guard regiments soon will
be sent south.
Another order has directed the re
turn of more than 3,000 coast artillery
troop? to their stations on the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts.
Some regiments of the guard or
dered south are already en route and
others will get started this week. The
troop trains in both directions un
doubtedly will be on the way next
Monday, when the strike is expected
to begin.
If the troop trains- are stalled on
Monday it will become immediately
necessary for some authority to he
granted so that they can be kept in
motion.
Ix>oki»K Up Precedents
Secretary Baker refused to say
whether he had directed a census of
guardsmen who are railway engineers,
firemen, brakemen or the like.
With the strike threatening there
has been much looking up of prece
dents for the employment of Federal
troops. During the strike in 1894.
when President Cleveland sent Federal
troops to Chicago, his proclamation,
which followed the order, declared
that the steps had been taken "for the
purpose of enforcing the faithful exe
cution of the laws of the United States
and protecting property belonging to
the United States for or under its pro
tection and of preventing obstructions
of United States mails and of com
merce between the states and terri
tories and of securing to the United
States the right guaranteed by law to
the use of such railroads for postal,
military, naval and other government
service."
Penrose and Oliver Do
Not Believe Shorter Day
Would Help Railroaders
Washington, D. C., Sept. 1. —Penn-
sylvania's senators are not inclined to
support the administration program of
legislation fixing eight hours as the
bttsis of work and pay for railroad em
ployes engaged in interstate commerce.
Senators Oliver and Penrose said they
■were not In position to state definitely
what their attitude toward the pro
posed legislation would be until the
administration bill has been drafted
and its provisions are definitely known.
While neither senator is opposed to
the eight-hour workday, they are of
the opinion that yie plan suggested
will not limit the nours of labor for
tlio railroad men to eight and will not
in any way shorten their workday.
"If the railroad employes inaugurate
a successful strike, the industries of
Pittsburgh will be entirely paralyzed
in a very short time," said Senator Oli
ver. "The people would begin to feel
the food shortage in a few days, prices
would rise to unreasonable heights and
we would face a condition approach
ing starvation. The mills and factories
of the Pittsburgh district would be
obliged to close ajid a most distressing
condition would be brought about.
"If there is a strike of the railroad
men as planned, said Senator Pen
rose, "perhaps Philadelphia would be
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FRIDAY EVENING,
TE :T OF ADAMSON BILL ]
INTENDED TO STOP STRIKE
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, that:
Section 1. Beginning Uecember 1, IflHI. eight hours shall 111 contracts
for labor and service be deemed a day's work and the measure or atand
ard of a day's work for the purpose of reckoning the compensation of all
employes who are now or may hereafter be employed by any common
carrier or railroad which Is subject to the provisions of the act of Feb
ruary 1, 1887, entitled, "An act to regulate commerce," as amended, and
who are now or may hereafter be actually engaged in any capacity in
the operation of trains used for the transportation of persons or property
on railroads from any State or territory of the United States or the Dis
trict of Columbia to any other State or territory of the United States or
in the District of Columbia or from one place in a territory to another
place in the same territory or from any place in the United States to an
adjacent foreign country or from any place in the United States through
a foreign country to any other place in the United States.
Section 2. That the President shall appoint a commission of three,
which shall observe the operation and effects of the institution of the
eight hours standard work day as above defined and the facts and condi
tions affecting the relations between such common carriers and employes
during a period of not less than six months nor more than nine months,
in the discretion of the commission, and within 30 days thereafter such
commission shall report its findings to the President and to tlie Congress;
that each member of the commission created under the provisions of
this act shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the President.
The sum of $25,000 or so much thereof as may bo necessary be and hereby
is appropriated out of any money :n the Treasury not otherwise pro
vided for the necessary and proper expenses incurred in connection with
the work of such commission, Including salaries, per diom, traveling
expenses of members and employes and rent, furniture, office fixtures and
supplies, books, saiarlcs and other necessary expenses, the same to be
approved by the chairman of the said commission and audited by the
proper accounting officers of the Treasury.
Section 3. That pcudlnc the report of the commission herein pro
vided and for a period off 30 days thereaffter the compensation off railway
employes subject to this act ffor a standard eight-hour work day shall not
be reduced below the present standard *day*s wage anil for all necessary
time In excess off eicht hours such employes shall be paid nt a rate not
less than a pro rata for such standard eight-hour work day.
Section 4. That any person violating any provision of this act shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less
than sluo and not more than SI,OOO or imprisoned not to exceed one year,
or both.
PUBLIC WILL FOOT BILL FOR
8 HOUR DAY ON RAILROADS
Special to the Telegraph
Washington, D. C., Sept. 1. Repre
sentatives of the railroads, of the train
men's brotherhoods and of shippers' or
: sanitations argued for nine hours yes
i terday before the Senate interstate
I commerce committee on legislation pro
; posed to avert the threatened strike,
recompense the roads for any financial
burden, and perfect machinery to make
impossible in the future another crisis
like the present.
Out of the nine hours' argument two
facts stood clearly. In the estimation
of all affected parties, Congress alone
can prevent a strike, and the public
eventually will foot the bill for an
eight-hour day with ten hours' pay,
which the trainmen demand. The rail
road executives and the shippers ln
! sisted that the strike order at least
should be postponed, and the tour
brotherhood chiefs declared with equal
vehemence it could not be.
All Sides Satisfied
All sides apparently were more 01
less satisfied with the hearing, which
had given them an opportunity to lay
their cases before the public.
A dramatic scene—in which A. B.
Garretson, spokesman for the trainmen
and president of the Order of Railway
Conductors, was the central figure,
brought the hearing to a climax last
night shortly before the taking of tes
timony closed. ,
Throughout the day members of the
committee at different times had asa
ed the four brotherhood heads if they
were powerless to stop the strike save
by reporting a satisfactory settlement
to their men. The. question invariably
was evaded, the replies being that Mr.
Garretson would explain the situation
before the hearing closed,
in which to speak, his brother presi
dents urged him to answer the ques
in a better position than many other
cities, because it has water transpor
tation to fall back upon and it is fed
by numerous trolley systems that could
be utilized. Pittsburgh would be hit
hard and her industries would suffer.
In fact, every locality fn the State
would be Injured by it. We all hope
that some means may be found that
will avoid any interference with fa
cilities."
BOY DIES FROM TYPHOID
Special to the Telegraph
Willamstown, Pa., Sept. 1. —Wilmer
Day, aged 5 years, son of Mr. and
Mrs. R. W. Day, died yesterday from
typhoid fever.
tion of power to postpone a strike. Hw
I For almost an hour Mr. Uarretsoi.
kept the crowd laughing with quaint
expressions and humorous stories.
When he had only three minutes left
j suddenly became serious, stood erect,
I at the ceiling for a moment and
| then began to speaK.
Garretson Kinds Gethsemane
I "We have been asked." he said slow
ly. "if we have the power to defer this
1 strike. It has been called for next
, Monday. I have the power to defer
that date in my organization, but in
| the other organizations the situation is
different. The heads of the other broth
erhoods cannot call back the strike
order.
' But here is where I stand. For
years my men have trusted me. When
1 stood before the President the other
night and he asked me if this could be
done. I found my Gethsemane. To the
men who have made me the recipient
of all these things I owe my first ob
ligation. I can put it off, but»if r did
without gaining a satisfactory settle
ment there would linger in the minds
of those who have trusted me thoughts
of treachery. If T put it! off, across a
fair record of thirty years would bu
written the word 'traitor.'"
Tear* Choke Voice
For a moment the witness paused and
seemed to peer far out over the heads
of the crowds, then tears came into his
eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He
started to speak, but choked. Apar
ently summoning all his strength, he
threw out his arms, lowered his eye»
to the crowd and in a low voice asked.
"Can I face it?' and dropped into his
chair.
Not a person in the room moved for
several seconds. Mr. Garretson relieved
the situation by rising from his chair
and leaving the chamber.
NEW YORK PAYS
MORE FOR FOOD
Embargo Raises Eggs, Poultry
and Moat; Strike Breakers
Being Employed
By Associated Press
New York, Sept. I.—The ultimate
consumer got a bitter foretaste of rail
road strike conditions to-day. from a
sharp advance in prices of food. Deal
ers attributed the raise to embargoes
on perishable products put into effect
last night by several eastern railroads
and to prospects of a serious shortage
of supplies as soon as the strike Is
called. These freight embargoes will
be extended to-night and to-morrow
night, according to notices issued by
the railroads, unless the strike menace
disappears before the end of the week.
Meat Cioes Higher
The wholesale price of eggs of the
class most generally used reached 35
cents, 1 cent higher than Wednesday
and 10 cents above the price of a year
ago. Poultry went from 18 to 25 cents
a pound. Wholesale meat dealers in
Newark advanced prices half a cent a
pound and predicted a further raise.
The New York city authorities are
considering means to check exorbitant
price raising, and although doubt ex
ists as to their legal right in this re
spect. it has been suggested that the
Hoard of Aldermen establish a price
fixing commission. Action was delayed
in the face of news from Washington
indicating more favorable prospects in
the railroad situation.
Congressional leaders have In their
possession to-day messages forwarded
by three prominent New York organ
izations opposing "hasty" action to
prevent a strike. The Chamber of
Commerce has sent a resolution de
claring that emergency legislation
passed in advance of complete studv
"will be fraught with far-reaching.and
incalculable danger to the whole hodv
politic." The merchants' association
protested against action until Congress
obtains full information. The bank
ers' association sent a protest against
action by Congress fixing rates of
wages and working hours of railroad
employes.
Thousands of Strikc-Brcnkcrs
No statements have come from rail
road headquarters here regarding the
employment of strike-breakers, but ac
cord ing to the agencies which have
been mustering these emergency work
ers there are several thousand of them
already in the city. Railroad officials
say they are flooded with applications
for jobs from former employes.
September commutation tickets are
on sale to-day as usual at the begin
ning of the month. Commutation
books are sold, however, subject to in
terruptions of traffic due to a possible
strike. The railroads are at work unon
H traffic schedule to be put into effect
if the strike comes, but these will not
be made public before next week.
Trainmen Executives Open
'Quarters at Pittsburgh
By Associated Press
Fittsburgh, Sept. I.—ln order to ad
vise officials of railroad brotherhoods
in the Pittsburgh district, should a
strike be called, and to preserve order,
three of the higher officials of the
trainmen's organizations opened head
quarters to-day and will keep in close
| touch with the numerous locals here.
Officials already here are Arthur J.
Lovell. of Logansport, Ind., vice-presi
dent of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen and Englnemen; C. R. Carl
ton, of Louisville, Ky., chairman of the
brotherhood of Railroad Trajnmen, of
Pennsylvania lines west of Pittsburgh,
and D. D. Miller, of Fort Wayne, Ind.,
chairman of the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Firemen and Eneineiucu.
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
FOR THE INFORMATION
OF THE PUBLIC:
The Railroads' statement of their posi
tion on the threatened
to the President of the United States
A strike on all the railroads of the "country has been called by the Train
Brotherhoods for 7 o'clock Monday morning, September 4.
This strike was ordered from Washington while the President of the
United States was making every effort to avert the disaster.
The Final Railroad Proposal
The final proposal made by the railroads for a peaceful settlement of the con
troversy, but which was rejected by the brotherhoods, was as follows:
(a) The railroads will, effective September i, 1916, actual experience as their judgment approves or the
keep the time of all men represented in this movement, President may fix, not, however, less than three
upon an 8 hour basis and by separate account, monthly, months.
with each .man, maintain a record of the difference „• t t.* » ..
between the money actually earned by him on the far-reaching consequences of the
present basis and the amount that would have been m ? d * by the President, accepting the
earned upon an 8 hour basis-overtime on each basis "? fc °fl Up ° n the f^ lroad f ai ' d the passes
to be computed pro rata. ?* labo k r . "solved directly in this controversy, but to
F the public and upon all industry, it seems plain that
The amounts so shown will be subject to the before the existing conditions are changed, the whole
decision of the Commission, provided for in Paragraph subject in so far as it affects the railroads and their
(c) of this memorandum and payable in money, as employees, should be investigated and determined by
may be directed by said Commission in its findings and a Commission to be appointed by the President, of
decision. such standing as to compel attention and respect to
» _ its findings. The judgment of such a Commission
(b) _ The Interstate Commerce Commission to would be a helpful basis for adjustments with labor
supervise the keeping of these accounts and report the and such legislation as intelligent public opinion, so
increased cost of the 8 hour basis, after such period of informed, might demand.
Statement of Executives to the President
In submitting this proposal to the President, the fifty railroad executives called to
Washington and representing all the great arteries of traffic, made this statement to
him of their convictions:
The demands in this controversy have not been effort is required for the public welfare, would be
presented, in our judgment, for the purpose of fixing a harmful beyond calculation.
KSSI £2rc n ° r a re f d u UC /° n ( in the The widespread effect upon the industries of the
° r ,±L gC , r n o r °u f .° pera * ~untry as a whole is beyond measure or appraise
•! "' .O" of an men t at this time, and we agree with the insistent and
increase iiv ages of approximately One Hundred widespread public concern over the gravity of the
Million Dollars per annum or 3 5 per cent, for the men situation and the consequences of a by the
in railroad freight train and yard service represented ra ii ro ads in this emergency,
by the labor organizations m this matter. T ,-i .
_ In like manner we are deeply impressed with tho
After careful examination of the facts and patient sense of our responsibility to maintain and keep open
and continuous consultation with the Conference the arteries of transportation, which carry the life
Committee of Managers, and among ourselves, we blood of the commerce of the country, and of the
have reached a clear understanding of the magnitude consequences that will flow from even temporary
of the questions, and of the serious consequences to interruption of service over the railroads, but the
the railroads and to the public, involved in the decision issues presented have been raised above and beyond
of them. the social and monetary questions involved, and
Trustees for the Public responsibility for the consequences that may
arise will rest upon those that provoke it.
As trustees for the public served by our lines and _ ... _ .
for the great mass of the less powerful employees (not 1 UDIIC Investigation Urged
less than 80 per cent, of the whole number) interested Tt,» j • , . «
in the railroVd wage fund-as trustees also for the ™^ g '
millions of people that have invested their savings and fln J J. • • h K1 - investigation
capital in the bonds and stock of these properties, K * rou * h . th « TTJ ° f IV
and who through the saving banks, trust Companies LS ° ' ° Tvf dls P osed of ' to the P ubhc
and insurance companies, ar! vitally interested to the faction, in any other manner,
extent of millions of dollars, in the integrity and 7 decision of a Commission or Board of Arbi
solvency of the railroads of the country, we cannot in tration, having the public confidence, will be accepted
conscience surrender without a hearing, the principle y P u ° l,c> and the social and financial rearrange
involved, nor undertake to transfer the enormous cost ments made necessary thereby will be undertaken by
that will result to the transportation of the commerce public, but in no less deliberate nor orderly
of the country. manner.
, , ... . ... . The railroads of the country cannot under present
. eight-hour day without punitive overtime conditions assume this enormous increase in their
involves an annual increase approximately, in the expenses. If imposed upon them, it would involve
aggregate of Sixty Millions of Dollars, and an increase many in early financial embarrassment and bank
of more than 20 per cent, in the _pay of the men, ruptcy and imperil the power of all to maintain
already the most highly paid in the transportation their credit and the integrity of their securities,
service. . .... . , ..
The immediate increase in cost, followed by other
The ultimate cost to the railroads of an admission increases that would be inevitable, would substan
in this manner of the principle under contention tially appropriate the present purchasing power of
cannot now be estimated; the effect upon the effi- the railroads and disable them from expanding and
ciency of the transportation of the country now improving their facilities and equipment, to keep
already under severe test under the tide of business abreast of the demands of the country for efficient
now moving, and at a time when more, instead of less, transportation service.
In good faith we have worked continuously and earnestly in a sincere effort to
solve the problem in justice to all the parties at interest. These efforts were still
in progress when the issuance of the strike order showed them to be unavailing.
Problem Threatens Democracy Itself
The strike, if it comes, will be forced upon the country by the best paid
class of laborers in the world, at a time when the country has the greatest need
for transportation efficiency.
The problem presented is not that alone of the railroad or business worldf
but involving democracy itself, and sharply presents the question whether any
group of citizens should be allowed to possess the power to imperil the life
of the country by conspiring to block the arteries of commerce.
HA y* R. S. LOVBTT, A. H. SMITH,
Chicago, Burlington A Quinor Railroad. Union Pacific Sy.tam New York Central Llnaa.
W. W. ATTBRBURY, B. P. RIPLEY, FRANK. TRUMBULL,
ennty vania at ro»d. AtcbUon, Topaka A Santa Pa Sritem. Cheiapeaka A Ohio Railway.
FAIRFAX HARRISON, OANIEL WILLARD,
Railway, Baltimore and Ohio Rail*** - -
Mail Delivery Planned For
Marietta by Department
Special to the Telegraph
Marietta, Pa., Sept. I.—Post Office
Inspector Gartland, with Postmaster
Orth, hua gone over the town and
through Mr. Orth working the matter
to (he satisfaction of the authorities
Marietta will have city delivery before
long. It now rests with borough coun
cil to number the houses and name
the streets, and as soon as this is fin
ished the delivery will begin. . (
SEPTEMBER 1, 1916.
I 'IX) CONTEST WILL
Special to the Telegraph
i Waynesboro, Pa., Sept. I.—The will
! of the late Mrs. Eleanor J. Murdock,
this city, will be contested by the heirs
i at law. Her estate, valued between
$5,000 and $6,000. was bequeathed to
i the Methodist Episcopal Church.
PIKETOW.V PASTOR TO PREACH
Special to the Telegraph
New Cumberland, Pa., Sept. I.—The
Rev. Jonas Martin, pastor of the
Church of God of Piketown, Dauphin
county, will preach in the Church of
God at New Cumberland at 10.30
o'clock Sunday morning.