The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1908-02-28
TO ELUCTDATE
WAGE CUTTING
President Orders Commerce Com
mission 10 Insert Probe.
ROADS MUST ANSWER
Proposed Reductions by Railways Arouse
Roosevelt to Action and to Inquiry
as to Cause Therefor.

The movement for wage reductions
inaugurated by railroads in all parts
of the country has aroused organized
labor to make determined fight, and
brought forth from President Roose-
welt an order, in writing, to the inter
state commerce commission, which
practically demands an investigation
of the financial conditions of the rail-
roads proposing to make such cuts.
The Southern railway management
has, during the past week, been in
conference with the representatives of
10000 wage earners relative to a cut
in wages and a possible further re-
duction in the hour scale.
The Louisville and Nashville is plan.
ming reduction in wages, and so are
other railroads in the south The Chi
cago Great Northern has called a con-
ference for March to discuss SINH
lar cut. The Chicago Great Western
is in the hands of a receiver. Under
the Erdman act no reduction can be
made without notice of twenty days
conference with employees and notice
to the court.
The leaders of organized labor forces
fear that if the wage reductions on
this road is approved by the court
all lines in the middle west competing
with it will be authorized to make a
similar cut.
It is stated that an appeal for arbi-
tration will be made under authority Of
the Erdman act. The arbitrators nam
ed under this law are Chairman Mar
tin Knapp of the interstate commerce
commission and Labor Commissioner
Charles P. Neill These two called at
the white house Wednesday night, 1t
is reported, and discussed the present
situation in railroad circles with Pres
ident Roosevelt.
1t is said the attention of the author
tiles was directed to the action of the
railroads by w. S. Stone, grand chief
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers. 1t is not believed by the
government authorities at Wasching-
ton that anything like a general I'M
Outstanding exists among the rail-
roads, but that each is moving sepa-
rately in undertaking to reduce wages.
The employees are not ready to yield
without a fight. They will exhaust ev.
cry resource at their command to pre-
vent reductions The leaders of the
labor men are extremely reticent, but
limitations have crept out that strike
and tie-up will be attempted on the
first road that attempts to put the re-
duction program into effect
The receiyership of the Chicago
Great Western has complicated the sit
uation somewhat, as the road is for
the present under the protection Of the
federal court, and the workers do not
wish to take any steps that will be
In violation of the courts rulings. They
would prefer that another road should
make the first attempt.
The leaders of organized labor argue
that the roads were very slow about
wage increases during the past several
years, when things were on boom,
and should not at the first signs Of
depression make radical cut.
President Roosevelt's letter indicates
that he discredits and ridicules the
charge that his policies are RESPONSE
Bile for the present situation. He
wishes to obtain the facts as to actual
conditions Of the railroads to answer
such charges if repeated during the
presidential campaign. In his letter
he urges the rights Of the public as a
third party In all disputes between the
railroads and their employees.