Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1919-08-13
STOP RAIL STRIKE,
PRESIDENT ORDERS
lnStructs Hines to Fix Wage of
the Workers.
MEN MUST RETURN TO WORK
No Raise Nor Even Consideration of
Merits of Demand While the
WaIkout Is On-Others Vot-
ing on Strike.

Washington, Aug. S.-President Will
son notified Director General Hines
that he was authorized to take up the
demands of railroad shop employees
for higher wages and decide them on
their merits.
The presidents decision was an
nounced from the White House in the
form Of a letter sent by him to Mr..
Hines. The president said that "un-
til the employees return to work and
again recognize the authority of their
organization, the whole matter must
remain at a standstill."
Letter Sets Him Free.
The president said that the letter
sent him by Senator Cummins, chair
man of the committee on Interstate
commerce, chad set me free to deal
as I think best with the difficult ques-
ton of wages of certain classes of the
railroad employees" but added:
"The chief obstacle to decision has
been created by the men themselves.
They have gone on strike and repu-
dated the authority of their officers
at the very moment when they were
urging action in regard to their inter
eSts."
With the railroad shopmen's strike
growing more acute hourly, Director
General Hines conferred with Presi-
dent Wilson sas to the possibility OF
immediate settlement without recourse
to congress.
Upon leaving the president, Mr..
Hines sent hurried call to Director
of Operations Tyler of the railroad
administration and two other officials
and held lengthy secret meeting at
the executive offices.
Participants at the second confer
ence made known that the strike of
point where $4,000 men were out and
the possibility of a railroad tieup was
imminent
Consider Entire Question.
The entire subject of methods of set
tlement, with particular stress on the
solution that could be effected with
out waiting for congressional action,
was considered.
The 100000 members of the Broth
erhood of Railway Clerks (freight
handlers, station, express and steam
ship employees) began voting today as
to whether they will strike Immediate
ly for increased wages or await a So
luton of the wage question along the
lines of the proposal made to congress
by Director General Hines.
In announcing the issuing of the
strike ballot, J. J. Forester, president
of the brotherhood, said this confer
ence with Mr.. Hines had not resulted
in any change in the situation. Mr..
Hines, he said, had nothing further to
offer than the proposal for congress
sional commission to consider the
whole wage problem.
Must Have Relief.
"The situation with our men," said
Mr. Forester, 'is that we must have
immediate relief, or our members will
commence seeking employment in oc-
cupationsA where they can make liv-
ing for themselves and their families.
They have been so loyal in number
less cases now that they have even
sold their Liberty bonds to live on
during the last few months. Our hope
is that congress can take some action
at once to relieve them"
Increases sought by the men, Mr..
Forester said, approximate 20 cents
an hour over present scales, with
time and half for overtime.