New-York tribune., 1919-08-08

prised us OF this inability, at any
rate for the time being, to agree upon
recommendation, it. is clearly our
duty to proceed with the matter in
the hope of disposing of it.
You are therefore authorized to
say to the railroad shop employees
that the question of wages they have
raised will be taken up and con-
sidered on its merits by the Director
General in conference with their
duly accredited representatives. I
hope that you will make it clear to
the men concerned that the railroad
administration cannot deal with
problems of this sort or with any
problems affecting the men except
through the duly chosen interna-
tionai officers of the regularly con-
stituted organization and their au-
thorized committees.
Obstacle Created by Strike
MATTERS of so various a nature
ana affecting so many men cannot
be dealt with except in this way.
Any action which brings the author
lty of the authorized representa-
tives of the organization into ques-
Ion or discredits it, must Interfere
gether. The chief obstacle to
Il decision has been created ty the
men themselves. They have gone out
on strike and reprdiated the autr or
ity OF their officers at the very mo
ment when they were urging action
IN regard to various interests.
"You will remember that a confer
once between yourself and the au-
thorlzed representatives of the men
was arranged at the instance of these
representatives. for July % to discuss
the wage question and the question
Of national agreement, but before
this conference took place or could
take place local bodies Of railway
shop men took action looking toward
a strike on the first of August.
Must Return to Work
As a result of this action various
strikes actually took place before
there was an opportunity to act in a
satisfactory or conclusive way with
respect to the wages. In the pres
ence OF these strikes and the repudi-
alton Of the authority of the repre-
sentatives of the organization CON
cerned there can be no consideration
Of the matter in controversy. Unit.
the employed return TO work and
again recognize the authority of their
own organization the whole mattes
must be &; a standstill.
when Federal control Of tht rail
roads began the railroad administra-
tion accepted existing agreements
between the shopmen's organization
and the several railroad companies,
and by agreement machinery was
created for handling the grievances
Of the shonmen's organization of all
the railways, whether they had
heretofore had the benefits of def
mite agreements or not. There can
be no question, therefore, of the
readiness OF the government to deal
IN spirit Of fairness and by regular
methods with any matters the men
may bring to their attention.
Cost of Living Involved
concerned and very careful con-
sderatioH is being given by the en-
tire government to the question of
reducing the high cost of living. |
need hardly point out how init
mateiy and directly this matter af-
fects every individual in the nation,
and If TRANSPORTATION is interrupted
II VIII be impossible to solve it.
'Thls Is time when every en-
make the processes of transportation
more easy and economical rather
than less and employees who are on
strike atc deliberately delaying a
settlement Of their wage problems
and of tnelr standard Of living. They
should promptly yetUrn to work, and
nope th1i You Will urge upon their
Representatives the immediate ne
cessitv icy their doing so.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
"N OODROW WILSON,"
IL is regarded as certain that the
outcome Of Mr.. Illness negotiations
with the representatives Of the shop
men viii be an increased scale OF pay
'og them. This Will start second
,yclo OF increase in wages Of railroad
employees, everybody having now re
'ciVed one or more Increases, designed
% bring all employees into line on the
lew basis.
Congress to Foot Bill
In view OF Congress- $ position, as
by Senator Cummins, the
President VIII, it is suggested, leave
Congress- to foot the bill of increased
wages by additional deficit appropria
lions instead OF seeking to derive the
necessary funds from increased trans
OOrtation rates. Before the shopmen
nave been settled with all the other
railway organizations Will, it is ex-
oeoted, submit formal demands for
more pay.
Opinion differs as to what will be
the effect on the general railroad wage