Evening journal., 1919-08-02
CHICAGO WORKERS
OUT; DEMAND nc.
HOUR wage RAISE
Continued from First Page.


in letters to House and Senate commit
tees in which the proposal creation Of
the commission to survey the wages OF
all rail workers and decide ON in
creases which will be mandatory upon
! the Interstate Commerce Commission
for increased freight and passenger
rates.
putting the demands up TO Congress
would mean a delay OF six months and
perhaps a year. said Sheppard, who
has asked an average 80 per cent. in
crease for 5000 conductors. This
would be unsatisfactory TO the men who
have been waiting months. They are
now In no mood TO wait longer, al
though we all feel that both President
Wilson and Rail Director Hines should
help the men. f
we will not be able 10 control tle
men Il this is the answer to our de-
mands," said President Lee. For years
we've been forced to give them this
brand II medicine, which resulted in
delay. They're immune to It now.
wouli not recommend such solution
to Them"
dent Wilson and Director Hines" said
President Shea, hut II they have turned
over t. Congress the matter OF wage
Increases, II also means a long delay,
and l fear the men will refuse to waltz
and will strike"
~ viii only say that In my opinion
the railroad workers OF the country
will not stand for another survey OF
the entire wage situation" said Presi- !
dent Warren 5. Stone OF the Brother
hood OF Locomotive Engineers. II don't |
know whether this is The Presidents |
answer 10 our statement 10 him that |
the cost OF living must be lowered or
we would be forced 10 demand wage
increases. II 10 Is intended as the an
swer, can see nothing in II that means 1
a reduction in living costs"
III the government would take ac-
lion TO suppress the pr0flteers so that
living costs viii leave our men enough /
10 live on decently we would not press
our wage demands" said Lee.
Lee declared the wage question is
now near a break which may precipi-
.ate within a few weeks a strike OF all /
organized rail workers. There are near
" 100000 organized workers.
III the rest OF the 10000 railway
shop workers follow the lead OF some OF
heir men who walked out yesterday all
)ther rail unions may be forced into
immediate action" Lee declared.
Heads OF the railway workers today
ire deciding what action they will take
IN the special wage commission plan
which was submitted TO them yester-
lay by Rail Director Hines. Hines sub
nltled 70 and read TO them the Presi-
tents letter to Congress at a meeting
ate yesterday at his office following
months Of negotiations.
President Bert NJ. Jewell. Of the rail-
way department, American Federation
Of Labor, today declared officials can
hold the shopworkers from an unauth-
orlzed strike despite the fact that sew
eral thousand walked out yesterday,
dlsObeying orders.
The shop workers organization is
the only one Of the big rail unions TO
which Hines has submitted the Presi-
ients special wage commission plan.
the same answer will be made
% the demands OF the trainmen ard
he conductors was not known today.
81 shall find out by calling on Hines
within a few days" said Sheppard. I'VE
viii wait until October for answer TO
ur demands" said President Lee. III
favorable answer is not received by
hat time, or n no answer is received
he matter will be placed before the /:
zen or their representatives. They will !
eide what must be done to gain the !
iereases we must have
ATLANTA, Ca, Aug 2. (Unilei I
ress) Although instructed by ma I
onal officers to postpone their scheG-
led walkout, union leaders declared o
)day that the railroad shOpmen's
.rlke throughout the southeast would
'main in effect until substantial !
rogress had been made toward settle i
lent" OF their grievances.
Between 5000 and 10000 men are al n
,ady out In the i3 southeastern states,
was stated early today. Railroad Of Q
clals, however, declared this number G
greatly exaggerated. =