Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-26
Wilson Announces New Ad-
ministration Policy in Dealing
With Union Workers, Par
ticu|arIy Questions That In
voIve Railroad Men.
ADJUSTS Shipments PAY
BY FOUR.CENT INCREASE
Done to Arrange Their Scale
to Basis of 10 Hours Pay
for Eight Hours Work,
Which Is Basis for Other
Railway Employees.

+ Washington, Aug. 25.-(By TIL.
Associated Press)-Postponement Of
the settlement of wage demands un-
til normal economic conditions are
restored, was announced today by
President Wilson as the policy
which the administration will pur-
sue in dealing with such questions.
particularly those affecting railroad
workers.
The president announced also that
it was neither wise nor feasible al
this time, when the most important
question before the country is rel
turn to a normal price level, to at
tempt to increase freight rates to
provide funds for higher wages.
"We ought to postpone questions
of this sort until we have the op-
portuhity for certain calculation as
to the relation beween wages and
the cost of living" the president de.
clared in a statement to the public,
explaining his decisions as to wages.
"It is the duty of every citizen tc
insist upon truce in such contests,
until intelligent settlements can be
made, and made by peace and cffec,
tive common counsel, I appeal tc
my fellow citizens Of every employ.
mentt to cooperate in insisting upon
and maintaining such a truce"
Statement Issued
! Mr.. Wilson's statement was issued
in connection with the decision OF
himself and Director General Hines
on demands by railroad shopmen for
Is per cent advance in wages, but
the general policy pronounced COW
ers also the wage demands of other
hundreds of thousands of railroad
workers, which are pending before
the director general or about to be
presented. 1t is to be expected that
other unions trying to obtain more
pay will be asked, as the shopmen.
to play their part with other citizens
in reducing the cost of living by
foregoing temporary advantage,
which would add to transportation
costs
The decision of the president and
the director general was announced
to<a committee of 100, representing
the shopmen. In reply to their de-
mands for Is per cent increase.
the shopmen were asked to>accept
an adjustment oftfeir pay to basis
of 10 hours pay for eight hours
work, which they contended was
given other employees and denied
them when the Adamson law be-
came effective. This means an ad-s
vance of the basic pay from 68
cents to u cents an hour whereas
an increase of II cents to IS cents
an hour was demanded.
In view of the delay of the rail-
road administration board on wages
and working conditions in reporting
on the demands of the shopmen, Di-
rector General Hines recommended
that the new rate of pay be made
retroactive from May |, although
the boards report was made July 16,
the date of the report generally be-
ling taken as the retroactive date.
Under the new scale of wages,
machinists, tool makers, boiler
makers, riveters, blacksmiths, sheet
metal workers and electricians, all
of whom now receive 68 cents an
hour, will receive II cents. Help
ers will receive 4o cents an hour in
stead of the present wage Of As
cents.
Acting President Jewell Of the
railway employees department Of the
American Federation of Labor and
Continued on Page Two. Column SFive)