The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-01
TRAINMEN DEMAND
ACTION BY OCT 1
Lee Threatens Strike Unless
Wages Are Raised or Liv-
ing Costs Cut.
SEES .UPHEAyAL NEAR
Warns That Profiteers Have
Aroused Dangerous Spirit
of Unrest.

wAsHrNoToN, July %.--wflliam G.
Lee, president Of the Brotherhood Of
Railway Trainmen, announced to-day
that unless the Railroad Administration
had taken action by October 1 on the
demands of the brotherhood that wages
Of the trainmen either be increased or
the cost of living reduced, steps looking
to the enforcement of the demands
would be taken.
Mr.. Lee said q resolution containing
this declaration, which had been adopted
last night by the special committee Of
sixteen appointed at the recent conven-
ton Of the trainmen In Columbus, o.,
would be sent to the Railroad Admin
istration. The resolution provided that
in the absence OF action by october l
the committee would reconvene to con-
slider the necessity for using the pro-
tective features Of the brotherhood"
Mr.. Lee made public an abstract Of
the report OF hearings recently held by
the Board of Railroad Wages on the
trainmen's demands, at which he de-
clared an "upheaval" was nearer in this
country to-day than eversbefore, due to
the unrest arising from mounting living
costs. The Railroad and Government
departments had better be assisting "to
crush profteering' by the packers and
other industries" he said, than shout
ing across the table at each other" at
hearings to consider still further in
creases.
Says All Are to Blame.
"All of us are to blame" ne said,
because we are exerting every effort
to get more money for ourselves and bet
ter conditions. Every day we must real
ize that the proflteers are taking double
from the workingmen what Is given
| them. and the )trouble with the people on
the hill (CapitoD, with us and with
every corporation. and with everybody
is that we are exertirg ourselves to get
the dollar, while the workingman Is
| merely existing and while the profiteer-
ing is piling UP millions.
II will admit TO you gentlemen that
we are going the wrong way. l admit
| to you that Il is time to call halt; and
admit to you that until we get to-
gether. until we commence together to
stop .h.3, there w.il be hell IN this coun-
| try-and It is nearer to-day than I ever
knew II In my years of experience. Just
let somebody drop a match in this
country of ours and II will be sorry
Unless my vision is most terribly OBJ
| secured, then there Is something coming
| to US pretty soon In this country that we
had better take notice of. We had some
thing of peace in this country prior to
| the war conditions. We were getting along
| fairly well untf proflteering became so
noticeable everywhere and until the COM
| modities that working people are CON-
| PEELED to pay for were permitted to be
| increased, doubled and trebled, without
| any question and often seemingly with
| the approval of the Government.
I'VE are nearer war in this world to-
| day, believe, than when the Kaiser
| threw down the gauntlet Our law
| makers are to blame. IN my opinion.
| because the masses of the people would
be behind them II they would attempt TO
| correct it, and surely there is power 10
correct It; but instead they are playing
politics. as some OF these labor organiza
lions are playing politics, and It is the
| same all down the line"
Decline to Suggest Remedies.
| Answering questions. Mr.. Lee said he
did not believe in giving any one class
| advantages at the expense of another
but said as long as present methods
| continue he believed in everybody get
| ting his share. as nearly as he could.
until the final upheaval comes and in
my opinion II Is looking us In the face. u
He declined TO suggest how prices
| could be reduced, saying the country
| was paying millions OF dollars to the
men on the hill (CapitoD who are sup
posed to have all the brains In the coun-
| try" and they are not acting TO stop the
| Increases
81 am not a red card man, but I am
| nIoaa 20 10 ~ thfa thing EaAna
| up" Mr. Lee said.
| Asked what would be his opinion as
! to wage rates based on present food
| prices II the price level should decline
materially, Mr.. Lee said he did not feel
| justified in going into the question. but
asked to be allowed to tell of his ex-
| periences In the recent strike at Winni-
| peg. where he said he found conserva-
| tive. home owning members OF his or
| ganization throwing away all they had
| gained in twenty-five years OF member
| cause they said ito hell with all this
| We cannot stand 1t any more. Come
| with US and we will correct It"
Mr.. Lee said they could not make
| contracts for the future, not knowing
| what tomorrow would bring forth. He
declared he could not Justify the fact
that wheat was $2.26 in this country
and -four perhaps $14 a barrel. when
flour made from the same grade OF
| grain sells in England for $5.11.
II want. II possible. to see some plan
devised here that will permit somebody
to say that beef, pork and commodities
| of that kind cannot go above a certain
| per CENT" Mr.. Lee said.
Mr.. Lee also expressed emphatic dis
approval of cost plus" war contracts
by which he said owners OF inferior fac.
| tories had obtained fine plants and big
profits at the expense of taxpayers. II
was such things. he declared. which
caused the railroad employee. faced by
growing expenses, to be willing to follow
a red flag or anything that comes
along