Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-08
ADJUSTMENT OF
WAGES PROMISED
Director General McAdoo, in
Az idress, Urges Railroad
Machinists to Stick

G. H. Markham, regional director OF
the railroads in the Allegheny region
to-day received by telegraph the text
of an appeal to the railroad shopmen
of the United States, made by Direc-
tor General McAdoo in brief ad-
dress at Hillyard. Washington
In his remarks the director general
promises the announcement of a de-
cision on the 25th of the present
month regarding further adjustment
OF the wages of railroad machinists
and shop workers. conceding that
peculiar conditions affect the pay of
these classes of railroad employees.
MT McAdoo states it is for that rea-
son that he appointed the new Board
of Railway Wages and Working Con-
dltions, whose report has now been
placed in his hands.
| Pending final action on that report,
the director general asks every ma
chinist and shop man, as a loyal
american, to stick to his Job back
Uncle Sam" to the limit, and do his
part in helping to plant the Kaiser
face downward" He urges all the
men. when the decision is announced
to accept it like true patriots, put
ting country above self or selfish in
terests like our brave soldiers are
doing in France"
BY orders of the director general
copies of his remarks will be wired
10 all divisions of the railroads in
the Allegheny region for immediate
posting on shop and roundhouse bull
letin boards and for general distribu-
ton to the employees in the mechani-
cal crafts.
The following address was made
oy w. G. McAdoo, director gen
eral of railroads. to the railroad shop
workers at Hillyard, Washington:
Ladies and Gentlemen; Fellow
Railroad Workers: 1 wish I could
make speech to you, but / over
strained my voice in three Liberty
Loan campaigns and the doctors have
forbidden me to make any speeches
for a short time,-but 1 do want to
tell you that 1 am glad to see you
and be associated with you in doing
very great work for our country.
Have Big Part in War
ITO us railroad men has been as
signed one of the biggest parts in
this war 1t depends upon us whether
or not the Kaiser will be licked ten
times as quickly as he otherwise will
be. l know that we are going to lick
him ten times as quickly, because the
railroad men of the United States are
going to do their duty to Uncle
Sam You are in Uncle Sans ser
vice now, no private interests con-
troll the railroads anymore. Uncle
Sam is in command, he has his hand
on the throttle. he is running these
railroads, and are you going to help
him make a success of it? / want to
give you all just as fair treatment
as L know how, but we are all SER
wants of the American people, you
and alike, and it depends upon the
way in which We discharge our re-
sponsibilities whether or not the
American people are going to treat
US right t...
'The strength of our position must
always rest upon public opinion.
What l would do from time to time
must be done with reference to what
is just, not alone to you, but to do
the public, which must pay the bill.
l want to give you a square deal
and the public wants to give you a
square deal, but the public wants
you to give it square deal as we'll.
VIII BE Fair to Public
When your wages are raised, how
do we get the money to pay for it?
We have to put up the rates on all
the American people, and if we do
not treat them fairly, they will re-
fuse to sustain me in trying to help
you. I want you to do the square
thing for the American people, as
am trying to do the square thing for
you. that is fair all around, isn't it?
II know the machinists and shop
men think they were not treated
fairly in the original wage commits
sion's report. There are peculiar
conditions effecting the machinists
and shop men of the country, and
because 1 recognized that, 1 appointed
a new commission. the Board of Rail-
way Wages and Working Conditions.
They made report 10 me. 1 am
working on that report and will
render decision on the 25th of this
month. When that decision is made,
want you to know that 1 have con-
scientiously done the best 1 could for
you, having just regard for your in
terests and the interests of the pub
lie. l want you all to accept that de-
cision like true patriots, putting
country above self or selfish interests
like our brave soldiers are doing.
We owe that much to our splendid
sons, who are shedding their blood
to make our jobs and our homes safe
and to have human liberty through
out the world. If we do our duty
as well as our boys are doing theirs
in France. we will be sure to plant
the Kaiser face downwards and keep
him there. Let every railroad man
hold on to his job and back Uncle
Sam to the limit"