Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-08-29
PRESIDENT ASKS
FOR WAGE TRUCE
Shopmen Are Offered 4-Cent
Raise; Greater Increase
Called UnwiSe.
WAGE BOOSTS RAISE PRICES
Present High Cost Of Living Is Tenn
porary, the President Asserts, and
VIII Fall When Peace Is Rati-
fled and Conditions Settle.

Washington, Aug. 27.-President
Wilson submitted to representatives of
the six railroad shop crafts proposal
to pay shopmen about four cents an
hour increase, on a basis of ten-hours'
pay for eight hours work, retroactive
to May /.
The president told the committee of
100 representing the shop crafts that
any greater increase now would great
ly increase the cost of living and there
fore was inadvisable.
Certain classes of shopmen, repair
men and car inspectors, who have been
receiving So cents and So cents. respec-
lively, would be paid 81 cents an hour
under the proposed scale.
The shopmen's representatives told
the president they would submit the
proposition to their members, whose
original demands were for an advance
of % per cent.
The president requested that the
men not act on the original PROPOSE
tion to have a congressional commit
tee pass on the wage demands. A
vote of the shopmen on this proposition
is now being tabulated.
The increase represents a conces-
sion amounting to approximately one
fourth Of the demand made by the
shopmen.
The shopmen ask for 25 per cent
increase on their basic pay Of 6S cents
an hour. This increase would have
amounted to IL cents an hour, where.
as the proposal of the president would
give them 4 cents an hour, or 40 cents
a day more than the workers new re-
ceive.
The president. coincident with MS
statement to the shopmen's representa-
tiyes, addressed a statement to the
public advising the nation of the situa
ton and the basis of his action. 1t is
his first publicly expressed view on the
country's labor situation.
The Accent an hour increase pro-
posed, the presidents statement said,
represents a readjustment of shop
mems wages TO put their pay on the
same basis as other railroad workers,
that is, ON ten-hour hour pay and eight
hour work basis, and accordingly is
not in the strict sense an increase in
wages.
Pointing to the shopmen's argument
that an increase in wages was neces-
sary to meet the high cost OF living,
the president said the workers de-
mands were in effect that we make an
increase in wages. which are likely to
be permanent, in order to meet a tenn
porary situation which win last no.
body can certainly tell how long, but
in all probability only for a limited
time"
The presidents statement said sit is
neither wise nor feasible to take care
of increases In wages of railroad en-
ployees at this time by increases IN
freight rates"
A single paragraph Of the statement
is sufficient to show how serious the
president considers the entire situa-
tion. He says.
ave are face to face with a situa-
t,on which is more likely to affect the
happiness and prosperity. and even the
life, of our people than the war itself,
adding:
''In such circumstances It seems
clear to me, and ! believe will seem
clear to every thoughtful American, In
Guiding the shopmen themselves, when
they have taken second thought and
to to all wage earners Of every kind,
that we ought to postpone questions of
this sort until normal conditions come
again cnd we have the opportunity for
certain calculation as to the relation
between wages and the cost of
living.
"It is the duty of Ggery citizen Of
the country to insist upon a truce In
such contests until intelligent settle
ments can be ade, and made by
peaceful and effective common coun-
sci.
II appeal to my fellow citizens Of
every employment to cooperate in in
sisting upon and in maintaining such
truce, and to cooperate also In sus-
tanning the government in what 1t con-
ceives to be the only course which con-
scientious public servants can pur-
sue.
Demands unwisely made and pas
sionately insisted upon at this time
menace the peace and prosperity Of the
country as nothing else could, and thus
contribute 70 bring about the very re-
suits which such demands are intended
to remedy"