Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 November 1916 — SHIPPERS WARNED OF RAIL STRIKE [ARTICLE]

SHIPPERS WARNED OF RAIL STRIKE

Roads Notify Firms to Prepare for Impending Walkout. MAY BE CALLED JANUARY 1 Carriers Declare Supreme Court May Decide That Eight-Hour Law Is Unconstitutional—Washington Expects Early Decision. Chicago, Nov. 17. —Warning that the attacks on the Adamson law may result in the eight-hour law being declared unconstitutional, in which event a railroad strike would tie up the country, has been sent out by railroads to large shippers and manufacturers, according to reports in the federal building. The roads have warned shippers to lay in large quantities of supplies, predicting that the strike, if it comes, will be called January 1. Representatives of railroad labor unions are known to have held conferences with United States District Attorney Charles F. Clyue. Mr. Clyne admitted that the situation is delicate. Early Decision Expected. Washington, Nov. 17. —Early decision by the Supreme court of one of the railroad suits attacking constitutionality of the eight-hour law probably will be sought by the department of justice. An appeal probably will be made in the first case decided in the hope that the Supreme court may be able to pass judgment as near as possible to January 1, when the law would become effective, if not suspended by injunction. A decision in the highest court would be binding on all lower federal courts and might dispose of all other suits. The department's policy has not been finally settled, but it was said today that this course is being considered and probably would be followed. If an appeal is taken the court would be- asked to advance the case and in view of its importance officials feel that such a motion would be granted, since such procedure is not unusual. Official notice of the filing of 16 suits had been received by the department. Big Rail Conference Monday. Preparations were being made for the meeting Monday of the joint congressional committee to investigate railroad questions including government ownership. The committee has sent notices to every state governor and attorney general and all state railroad commissions, to commercial and industrial organizations and to the president of every railroad in the country. : ■/ No dates for the appearances of witnesses have been set, but the hearing will open Monday with testimony by state railway commissioners. Santa Fe Ready for Strike. Dallas, Tex., Nov, 17. —“The Santa Fe will he as ready for a strikfe January 1 and as determined, to fight the strikers as it was a few months ago when a nation-wide strike threatened the country,” E. P. Ripley, president of the Santa Fe, said tu«e. Cleveland, 0., Nov. 17. —President Stone of the Brotherhood of Trainmen, when asked what the brotherhood's position was on the injunction sought by the railroads against the Adamson law, answered:

“We are law-abiding citizens. As for our plan of action, no one has authority to say whether rfiere will be a strike or not until the four brotherhood presidents meet in Washington next Monday. At that time, too, it will be decided whether the strike vote taken last spring still gives us the power to declare a strike. “We are not worrying in the least over the injunction proceedings. We know what President Wilson intended the law to rneuii and what the framers of the law intended it should yiean. If, after it is tested in court, it is found the law does not give us an eight-hour day, we feel confident the president and the mon who passed the law will give us a law that does. We are not going to defend the injunction suits, but .will let the depart--1 meat of justice do that.”