The sun., 1919-08-27

strike order (provided the members
vote to strike) It is earnestly requested
that every member shall remain at work.
lowing to the large number of mem
bers involved 1t must be understood and
agreed that the respective international
organizations will not be obligated to
pay regular strike benefits beyond the
limits of the funds available for that
purpose.
wire vote and send letter of con-
frmation to John Scott, room IT, A f.
of L. Building, Washington, d. c., at
once.
~. f. ANDERSON, International Asso-
citation OF Machinists.
"F, C. BoLAM, International Brother
hood of Blacksmiths and Helpers.
WILLIAM ATKINSON, international
Brotherhood of B. l. s. B. and H. OF A.
~. NJ BURNS, Amalgamated Sheet
Metal Workers International Associa-
ton. =,
JAMES p. NooNAN, international
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. =.
MARTIN r. RYAN. Brotherhood Hali-
way Car Men of America.
"B. NJ. JEWELL, acting president Hali-
way Employees Department, A. +. OF L.
New instructions given to the Board
on Wages and Working Conditions py
the Director-General to-day were as tol-
lows:
| ut is desirable, respecting the claims
now pending or to be filed before your
board, to define the functions which II
is appropriate for your board to perform
in view of the decision announced by the
President yesterday with reference TO the
policy which the Government must pur-
sue in regard to railroad wages as part
| Of the general campaign which the Gov
ernment is waging to reduce the high
cost of living in the interest of oil wage
earners as we'll as other Americans.
1.-The position of the Government is
that, in view of its campaign to reduce
the cost of living and Of the strong pros
poets that substantial relief Will De
achieved, It is not proper now to make
general increases in wages on the as
sumption that the present cost OF living
will be permanent and that pending the
! efforts of the Government to bring down
/ the cost of living the higher costs or
| living ought not 20 be accepted as per-
manent basis of wage adjustment, al
| though It is recognized that IL the efforts
Of the Government to bring down the
cost Of living should fail, railroad wages
should be readjusted in the light of any
permanent higher living costs which
would thereby have to be recognized.
'The President has also made 1t clear.
however, that the Railroad Administra-
ton is not precluded from giving prompt
and careful consideration to any claims
that may be made by the various classes
of employees for readjustments believed
TO be proper to secure impartial treat
ment for all railroad employees.
"I therefore request that you take up
promptly the claims which have already
been presented and those which are to
be presented by any classes of railroad
employees to the effect that, either for
their classes as a whole or for any sub
divisions to those classes. readjustments
ought to be made in order to make sure
that equal treatment Is done on the
basis Of the general principles Of wage
adjustment which the Railroad Admin
istration has already established.
Situation Is Called Complex.
"It has been our constant endeavor
since the first wage adjustments were
made by the Railroad Administration tc
deal fairly and impartially with al
classes OF railroad employees. The sit
wv ton is SO complex that absolute per
fection in this regard Is unattainable
-. Nevertheless our experience up to the
present time may in all proba biiity de-
, velop that certain relative injustice:
may have been unntentionally done
and 1t should be our purpose promptly tc
correct these injustices.
THE Railroad Administration ha 9 beer
firmly committed TO the policy since last
September that IT cannot make wage ad
, justments retroactive back OF a date ap
, proximating the date upon which YOU
board wakes its renort because other
} wise there would be unending confusion
and all effort to get a measure rs to thu
, cost of conducting the railroads at an.
, given time In the past would be rem
dered hopeless. 1 therefore hope tina
your board will be able to report prompt
[ ly upon any inequalities which may b,
found to exist TO the end that an!
2 correction which the Director Genera
( may find appropriate can be made effec
r tive at the earliest justifable date. il
accordance with the policy of the Rail
road Administration.
l I'm all such matters the board will