The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-08-01

Western Newspaper Union News Service
Washington, July 31-The high cost
oil living and growing unrest among
rectly up to the President by the adj
visory board of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers.
The memorandum follows:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Cabinet:
THE gentlemen accompanying, with
myself, constitute the advisory board
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers. They are the officers of that
organization who are charged with
the responsibility of safeguarding the
interests of its membership and direct
ing its policy.
"They come from practically every
section of the United States and Can
ada. They are in constant, close touch
with the rank and file of the locomo-
tive engineers and also have a general
knowledge of the conditions of all toll
ing classes.
AT ii meeting of this board in
Cleveland the matter of an increase
in compensation commensurate with
the condition we find because of the
constantly increasing cost of living
commodities was thoroughly and stu
diousIy considered
1--WE know that widespread spirit
of unrest exists among all classes es
pecially among wage earners, whose
wages will no longer provide adequate
food, shelter and raiment for them
selves and families.
1--WE believe the situation is brought
about mainly by constituencies profit
eering by the great interests who have
secured control of all the necessaries
of life.
"At this time we find ourselves
obliged to again request an increase
in wages to meet the mounting cost
of living; but we feel that should this
request be granted the relief would be
only temporary should prices continue
to soar.
1--WE believe that the true remedy
for the situation, and one that will
result in lifting the burden under
which the whole people are struggling,
is for the government to take some
adequate measure to reduce the cost
of the necessaries of life TO a figure
that the present wages and income of
the people will meet.
''Should this not be considered feas-
ible, we will be forced to urge that
those whom we represent be granted
an increase in wages to meet the de-
terioration of the purchasing price of
the dollar, be that what it may. This
can easily be determined by competent
authority
This action may be unique and it
may be properly termed a pioneer
| movement in the history of labor or
ganizations in seeking an audience
with the chief executive of our coun-
try, and in Il manner suggesting TO
him the convening of the members of
his cabinet or that portion that may
be quickly assembled.
However, the result sought seems
| to us TO justify the means, and should
our efforts in this direction complete
| ly fail then we will be forced to re-
quest granting of an increase in
| wages to enable them to live accord
| ing to the American standard.
I'VE invite your attention to the
| fact that approximately II per cent
| of the locomotive engineers are Amer
lean born citizens, and it may be
safely stated that the remaining per
cent are naturaliZed citizens; and
| they have, of course a great inter
est in not only their own welfare, but
| in the welfare of all the people, and
they are not unmindful of your past
efforts in behalf of the people, and
they should exert every effort, not
only for themselves. but for the coun-
try in general, as well as the admin
istration.
yet we find ourselves today earn
| ing less money than we did prior to
the war This can be demonstrated
| by simply taking as an illustration n
daily wage of SIS prior to the war,
which at that time was worth 500
cents. and today 1t Is worth approx
mately, Judging from competent au-
thority, only S2.15.