The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-07-31
President Is Deeply I'M
pressed by Demand of
Railroad Engineers
GOVERNMENT MUST
ACT BY OCTOBER
Either Increase Wages of Trainmen or
Reduce the Cost of Living-Will
Strike If There Is No Action by
That Date.

WASHINGTON, July 3l-President
Wilson is giving deep and very thought
full consideration" to the high cost of liv-
ing, it is announced at the White House,
and all branches of the government that
may aid in solving the problem are at
work
The President is understood to have
been deeply impressed by the statement
presented him by Warren s. stoge, chief
of the brotherhood of locomotive engin-
eers describing the unrest over the coun-
try because of the decreased purchasing
power of the dollar
The order of railroad trainmen has pre-
sented to the railroad administration
statement similar to that of engineers
setting forth that trainmen must have
| increased wages unless immediate steps
| are taken to reduce living costs
William G. Lee. president of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen, an
nounced today that unless the railroad
administration has taken action bv Oct
l on demands of the brotherhood that
wages of the trainmen either be in
creased or the cost of living reduced steps
| looking to the enforcement of the de-
mands would be taken.
| Mr.. Lee said resolution containing
this declaration which had been adopted
last night by a special committee an
pointed at the recent convention of the
trainmen would be sent to the railroad
administration The resolution provided
that III the absence of action by Oct |
the committee would re-convene to con
slder the necessity for using the pro-
tectlve features of the brotherhood
Mr.. Lee made public an abstract of
the report of hearings recently held bv
the board of railroad wages on the
ftrainmen S demands at which he de-
clared an upheaval was nearer in this
! country today than ever before, due to
the unrest arising from mounting living
| costs.
The railroad and government depart
ments had better be assisting to duash
profteering by the packers and other
industries, he said, than shouting across
the table at each other at hearings to
consider still further increases.
''All of us are to blame because we
are exertmg every effort to get more
money for ourselves and better condi-
tions' he said. 81 will admit to YOU
gentlemen that we are going the wrong
way. | admit to you that it is time to
call it off and l admit to you that until
we get together, until we commence to-
gether to stop this, there will be hell in
this country and it is nearer TODAY than
| ever knew it in my years of expert
ence. just let somebody drop match
in this country and it will be a sorry
day for all of us -
The alternative of governmental action
to force down the cost of living or of
demand by the railroad engineers of the
country for another increase in wages
was presented to President Wilson yes.
terday by Warren s. Stone, grand chief
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive engin-
GERS, and members of the brotherhood 5
advisory board
Detailing conclusions reached by the
advisory board at its recent meeting in
Cleveland, Mr.. Stone in statement read
to the President declared that while the
railroad Sengineers found themselves
Obliged to again request an increase to
meet the mounting cost of living they
were of the opinion that s'the true rem.
edy for the situation and one that will
result in lifting the burden under which
the whole people are struggling, is for
the government to take some adequate
measures to reduce the cost of the neces.
sites of life to figure that the present
wages and income of the people will
meet"
The brotherhood board outlined nc
plan of action for the government to
take beyond saying it was believed that
'this situation is brought about mainly
by constituencies profteering by the
great interests who have secured control
of all the necessaries of life