The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-08-07
PUTS RAIL WAGES
UP TO CONGRESS-
Nilsson Asks Special Commission
to Pass on Increase of
$8OO,000,0O0.
APPEALS TO TIE HOUSE
Requests Speaker Gillett Of Body to
Postpone Its Recess Until Definite
Action Is Taken on the Rail
Wage Question.

Washington, Aug. 4. ~ President
Wilson asked congress to create a
special investigating commission to
pass on the wage increases asked by
the railway shOpmen and other rail
way employees.
The president forwarded to Senator
Cummins and Representative Esch,
chairmen respectively of the house
and senate interstate commerce com
mittees, the proposal made originally
by Director General Hines and asked
that provision be made for representa-
ton Of both labor and the public on
the body.
The president asked congress to
Stipulate, in its legislation, that If
wage increases are allowed under its
award, 1t should be mandatory on the
rate-making authority to increase rail
road rates enough to meet the adj
vances.
President Wilson asked Speaker Gil
lett Of the house to postpone its re
cess until definite action was taken
on his request that congress set up a
committee 10 pass upon wage in
creases asked for by railroad EN-
ployees. An identical letter was sent
to Representative Mondell, the Repub-
lican floor leader
Director General Hines Informed
the president that inasmuch as the
Increases being asked by all classes
of railroad workers aggregated $780,
100000 a year, he hoped something
might be done to reduce the cost of
living rs an alternative, because he
doubted that his powers were sufi-
Client to increase rates enough to meet
the vast sum.
Mr. Hines also asked that the rail
road administration be allowed to CON
tinue to handle questions of rules and
working conditions, saying these could
not be satisfactorily separated from
the current handling of railroad oper-
ations.
President Wilson wrote the commit
tee Chairmen that he cOncurred In the
view Of Mr.. Hines that the legislation
undertaken should authorize the body
thus set up TO make its findings with
regard to wage increases retroactive
to the first of August, 1919. at any rate
to the extent that the tribunal may
regard reasonable and proper in or
der to give real relief to the en-
ployecs concerned"
l.. +. Shepherd chief of the Broth
erhood of Railway Conductors, ac-
companed by national officers of that
organization called on President VIII
son to discuss with him the conduc-
tors recent demand on the railway
wage commission for wage increases
averaging 80 per cent
The delegation told the president
the conductors were obliged to ask
for the Increase because during the
last six years their wages had fallen
below the price Of neccssaries to the
extent of 30 per cent
"An increase Of 80 per cent would
put the conductors exactly whore they
were six years ago" Mr.. Shepherd
said, "and even at that time we felt
we were not fully paid"
Reference was made by one member
Of the delegation to the recent action
Of the Italian government in cutting
the cost Of food so per cent in that
country, to which the president was
said to have replied that no such drns-
tic action could be taken under the
the laws Of the United States.
on leaving the White House Mr..
shepherd said he had been given to
understand that the president, in deal
ing with the situation. was limited to
the enforcement Of laws already on
the statute books.