Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-02
HOUSE ABANDONS IT'S RECESS
TO TAKE UP RAILWAY ISSUE
High Cost Of Living Brings Crisis Near.
Text Of Letters of President and
Director General Hines.

Client to satisfy the requirements
existing in connection with any
present proposals for general wage
thIr Under the existing ma
ed by. the railroad administration in
the making OF wages, but by the In
ferstate Commerce Commission In the
the one hand q decision by the rail-.
road administration against an In
crease. In wages Will be regarded BY
the employees as decision dictated
more BY the Immediate dificulties Of
broaS os the than ns BY The
whole. On the other hand a decision
BY the railroad administration in
fayor OF an Increase In wages
YIN not necessarily be binding on
which is now the final representative
rates.
ITO deal with these problems under
peace-time conditions there ought to
sentatfon OF the public, whose deci.
sion, when in favor Of q wage In
crease would carry with II the OBJ
legation on the part OF the final rate
nasiass power to prescribe rates
which to pay the increased wages
The conclusion to which I have
come has been forced upon me by the
recent developments above referred
when it developed in May and
June that the continued pressure
-of the increase in the cost Of living
was causing railroad employees gem
orally to, urge that they be given sub
stantial protection through further
important increases in wages If the
arf IA yAS 40
realized that the question was as
sumfrg such a wide and deep sig
nificance to the American public, as
well as to railroad employees. that the
question ought not to be dealt with
IN the same ns way way IN which the rail.
connection with the war emergency.
!. therefore. advised the board of
railroad wages and working condi-
tions on July 8 that they could not
regard themselves as vested with
jurisdietion. to formulate and recon.
mend further general wage Increases
to be made BY ms; but that In all
cases thereafter arising they should
report the facts to me that might
DECIDE i'd the. light Of the Facts Upon
q fair and Just broeedurA
not reached the point where the stu
alton has taken . sufficiently concrete
form TO- -serye---ass the basis for a
positive Recommendation
= Urges consrsSa 70 Act.
7 I'd, therefore. respectfully recommend
that Congress be asked promptly to
adopt legislation providing q prop
erly constituted body on which the
public and labor win be adequately
and which will be EN-.
poMs 70 DIE ~ IneSs a nnt an
rules end working conditions fbe. |
cause the latter cannot be eAtibfactor.
ily separated from the current han. |
ding Of railroad operations and there. |
shSa sosS e ss oss sss
legiBiAtion should also provide that II |
wa8e increases shall be decided upon |
It shall be mandatory. upon the rate- |
making body to provide, whore reces. /
4Ary. Increased rates to take care OF
s1s shs rsilsssSs N the
), Il DO notethink that we can prop
without fSii recognition Of the fact
that the cost Of living II rapidly
rising. and that every month that
ths e m pswer s'i u tSe
existing WsgeS OF Railroad employees
unless the rise Ia the cost OF living |
can be successfully restrained Tar I
earnestly hope "a the general pubic
iintefest " can speeony PEI De.:: .neIe
!oIe Iur Iec0H9mssno tns y. SSls ISss
2 ~ ashea 70 pfeviae ln any sucn ttsss
letion snaS, Anv incfessesa ~ raiifesa
waEss which nay Pc maaS ny the
tribanM ;eenctitutea for that par
pose enaH pc maze enectIve az OF
August 4, lsls, 20 sucn eAtent as tnas
tribunal may regard reaeonapie ana
preysr "a: otdes 20 i've reiiEoed en-.
pi0tes irem tn9f 9ate tns penent
which the &ftnunai may mink tney
were then entitled TO; n tnis way
the delay necessarily incident 70 the
creation of such tribunal and its &C
tion will not be pfejadicial TO the
fair interesta OF the railroad en-
ployes." IS |
: ~
Text OF xxesddent's Letter.
...,, ,.. !.
!, President wilson's letter TO the
semmtttee cnairman, sara ,..,-
eepys Of Z letter. which I have Just
reeeifed from MI. WALKER ". Zines.
the director general of fSiiroads ana
which, am sure, you VIII agree with
me In thinking 1t eontainS matter Tor
very serious thought ana Tor actien
49, not ~ IN a. Tinss ,sakas