New-York tribune., 1919-08-08
Whole Case of Demands
Must Wait Until They
Return to Work, He
Says, in Letter to Hines
Plumb Says Roads
Are Being g Wrecked
Father of Naturalization
Bill Promises to Prove
sSWall Street, Interests
Are Plundering Systems

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7-President
Wilson tonight notified Director Cen
eral Hines that he was authorized to
take up the demands of railroad shop
employees for higher wages and decide
them on their merits.
The President said the letter sent
him by Senator Cummins. chairman of
the Committee on Interstate Com
merce, had set me free to deal as I
think best with the difficult que ton OF
the wages of certain classes of the
railroad employees" but added:
"The chief obstacle 10 a decision has
been created by the men themselves
They have gone out on strike and re-
pudiAted the authority 0. thcir officers
at the very moment When they were
urging action in regard 10 their inter-
ests'
The Presidents decision was an
nounced tonight from the White
House in the form of letter sent to
Mr.. Hines. The President said that
until the employees return to work
and again recognize the authority of
their organization the whole matter
must be at standstill'
The Days Developments
Other developments of the railroad
wage situation to-day were:
Glenn E. Plumb, father Of the
Plumb plan to nationalize railways,
accused big financial interests of
wrec.s..g transportation systems of
the country, and promised to pro-
duce proof.
Senator Cummins. speaking for
the Senate Interstate Commerce
Committee. Informed President Will
son that he had complete authority
to deal with the wage problem and
needed no additional legislation.
POstoffice employees appealed 10
the President for a 80 per cent in
crease in pay to meet the high cost
of living.
Hines Confers With President
With the railroad shopmen's strike
growing more acute hourly, Director
General Hines conferred with President
Wilson late to- day.
Upon leaving the President Mr.. Hines
sent a hurried call for Director of Oper-
ations Tyler, of the railroad admins
tration, and two other officials, and
held a lengthy secret meeting at the
executive offices Participants at the
second conference made known that
the strike Of shopmen had been spread
ing to the lAint where $4,000 men were
out and the possibility of a railroad
tleup was imminent.
The entire subject OF methods OF
settlement was Consldered
Director General Hines went into a
secret conference with President vii
son tonight regarding the shopmen's
strike. and it was after thls conference
that the President notified the Director
General 70 pass on the railway men
demand.
Wilson's Letter to Hines
The Presidents letter to Mr Hines
was as follows
My Dear Mr. Director General:
am just in receipt OF the letter from
Senator Albert B. Cummins, Chair
man of the Senate Committee on In
terstate Commerce, which set me free
to deal as | think with the diff
cult question OF the wages Of certain
classes of railway employees, and I
take advantage of the occasion to
wiite you this letter, in order that |
may. both IN the public interest and
IN the interests of the railroad en-
ployes themselves, make the present
situation as clear and definite as pos
sible.
II thought it my duty to lay the
question IN its present pressing form
before the committee Of the Senate,
because | thought | should not act
upon this matter within the brief in
terval Of government control remain
ing, without their acquiescence and
approval Senator Cummins's letter.
which speaks the unanimous judg-
ment Of the committee, leaves ME
free. and indeed imposes upon me the
duty 10 act
History Of Negotiations
The question of the wages Of rail-
road snopmea was subm ted, YOU
Will rememb Der, to the Board # Rail-
rosd Wages and Working Co dtions
Of the Railroad Administration last
February, but was not reporte, .:-s,
by the board until the 10th OF ..tv.
The delay was unavoidable because
the board was continuously engaged
IN dealing with several wage matter.
affecting classes of employees who
had not previously received consider