Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-08-29
SHOPNEN OFFERED
F0UR-CENT. RAISE
BY THE PRESIDENT
Grants Part of Raise Sought and
Asks More Work.
SAYS GREATER BOOST UNWlSE
Issues Statement to Public Expressing
His Views on the Labor Situation
for the First Time-Increased
Wage Raises Prices.


Wilson today submitted to represent
atives of the six railroad shop crafts
proposal to pay shopmen about four
cents an hour increase, on a basis of
ten hours pay forFeight hours work,
retroactive to May 1.
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 63 cents and So cents, respect
lively, would be paid 81 cents an hour
under the proposed scale.
Refer Offer to Men.
The shopmen's representatives told
the President they would submit the
proposition to their members, whose
original demands were for an adj
vance of % per cent.
The President requested that the
men not act on the original propo-
sition 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 concession
amounting to approximately one-fourth
of the demand made by the shopmen.
The shopmen ask for % per cent
increase on their basic pay of 68 cents
an hour. This increase would have
amounted to IL cents an hour, whereas
the proposal of the President would
give them four cents an hour, or 40
cents day more than the workers now
receive.
The Presidents views on the coun-
trys labor situation were expressed
for the first time in his statement adj
dressed to the public, prompted by the
demands of railroad shopmen for wage
increases.
A single paragraph of the statement
is sufficient to show how serious the
President considers the entire situa-
ton. He says:
1--WE are face to face with a situation
which is more likely to affect the hap
piness and prosperity, and even the
life, of our people than the war ITSELF
The Presidents statement calling for
a general truce until the administra-
ton can reduce the high living cost,
follows:
Presidents Statement.
my fellow citizens: situation has
arisen in connection with the admins
tration of the railways which is of
such general significance that l think
it my duty to make public statement
concerning it in order that the whole
country may know what is involved.
"The railroad shopmen have de-
manded a large increase in wages.
They are now receiving SO, SO and 68
cents an hour. They demand So cents
an hour.
'This demand has been given care
full and serious consideration by the
board which was constituted by the
railroad administration to adjust ques-
tons of wages, a board consisting of
an equal number of representatives Of
employees and of the operating man
ayers of the railroad companies.
"This board has been unable to come
to an agreement, and it has therefore
devolved upon the director general of
railroads and myself to act upon the
merits of the case.
1.-The shopmen urge that they are
entitled to higher wages because of the
higher wages for the present received
by men doing q similar work in ship
yards, navy yards and arsenals, as
well as in number of private indus
tries; but / concur with the director
general in thinking that there is no
real basis of comparison between the
settled employment afforded mechan-
les by the railroads under living condi-
tions as various as the location and
surroundings of the railway shops
themselves and the fluctuating employ
ment afforded in industries exception
ally and temporarily stimulated by the
war and located almost without excep-
ton in industrial centers where the
cost of living is highest.
Peak of High Prices Reached.
1.-THE substantial argument which the
shopmen urge is the very serious in
crease in the cost of living. This is a
very potent argument, indeed. But,
the fact is that the cost of living has
certainly reached its peak and will
probably be lowered by the efforts
which are now everywhere being con-
certed and carried out.
at will certainly be lowered so soon
as there are settled conditions of pro-
duction and of commerce; that is, so
soon as the treaty of peace is ratified
and in operation. and merchants.
manufacturers. farmers and miners all
have a certain basis of calculation as
to what their business will be and
what the conditions will be under
which it must be conducted.
1.-THE demands of the shopmen,
therefore, and all similar demands are
in effect this: That we make increase
In wages, which are likely to be per-