The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1919-08-04
PRESIDENT HEARS
RAILWAY LEADERS
ONLIVING COST
Union Executives Go to White
House Expecting Answer to
Demapd for Wage Increases.

wAsHINcToN. Aue. s.-Ths EN-
ecutive Council Of the Railway En-
ployees Department Of the American
Federation Of Labor went into confer
ence with President wilson laes TO
dAy. It was said the union officiais
expected 20 receive some assurance
that the Government would hasten its
steps toward relieving the high cost
Of living. or give adequate increases
in wages to offset the growth In
prices.
President Wilson was told that the
present. stril1es OF railway hopmsn
throughout the country were In no in
stance authorized by the Executive
Council and that accordingly they
were illegal and would not receive
any ofiiciai support. However, oans
cial ballots viii be forwarded to-mor-
rev 10 each local for the purpose Of
taking a forma strike vote. II may
take some weeks to complete the
vote. t-s
ofncials u the unions estimated to-
day that only about 10 per cent of the
$4,000 members OF the six shop crafts
had quit work. No raiiroad had been
forced 70 suspend operation. II was
said. and II was expected that the
men VINO were out would return TO
work a. Soon As ho situation was ex-
plained 70 them.
About the time that the union lead
ers met the President It was an
nounced that four hundred and fifty
thousand members Of the Brother. |
hood OF Railway and Steamship |
Clerks. freiUht handlers. express and |
station employees had Joined with |
other railway workers IN demanding |
that unless something be done ma
tsrially 10 reduce the cost Of living.
our wages must be raised to rive US
Immediate rsiief"
The demands have bean transmitted
TO the Railroad Administration. J. J.
Forester, President OF the Brother
hood announced.
The brotherhood demands are re-
troactive 70 Jan. /. 1919, ana include
y forty-four hour week. overtime and
30 cents an hour increase In wages.
The Railroad Administrator was
asked to grant the Workers . hearing
md TO make a dSnnite reply immedi-
Atefy.
''when that reply IN received" Mr..
FORESTER said. "if n n not Of the
nature that Eoos along with the
proposition NJ have made u Will be
put out TO the employees Immediately
'or thar action. The pressure from
ne employees for . vote on the an
Twer Of the Railroad Naturalization
e strong. and u the demands are not
tulckly granted. judging from the
.emper Of the employees. they are I
likely to follow the lead OF the shop I
men.
Earlier In the day Director Gen. Z
lines explained TO a group OF repre- {
labor leaders that he had I
Isksd President Wilson to have Con-
gress take up the question Of IN
ireased wages because he believed the 1
Administration virtually had
been Shorn OF the power to increase
-ates TO meet such advances. Il
The Director General said passage
n a bin by the Senate to restore TO Z
he Interstate Commerce Commission
TO power to suspend proposed in-
:reases was tantAmount TO putting
he Director General on notice that
Congress disRpproved 81 increases ex-
,ept by the rate making body.
Mr.. Hines also explained the hnan-
,ial situation OF the Railroad Admin
stration and invited the railroad men ,
10 give any suggestions they cared to
have Incorporated nj the bill which he
plans 70 present 70 Congress.
Warren q, Stone. Grand chief OF the
OF Locomotive Engi-
neera. repeated 10 Mr.. Hines the
statements he made to President Will
son. that new wage increase would
cniy mean another cycle Of inoreas-
Ing pricea and. that the situation
growing out OF the high cost OF liv-
Ing could best be met by a return 70
nOrmAl economic conditions. Ii
In the discussion Of high prices,
the talk turned frequently 20 shoes,
with several speakers charging gross
profiteerins. One union man declared
he recently attempted TO buy a pair
Of shoes and was asked to pay rs
paid for a pair OF the same lot. When
he asked the reason he was told the
Increase was 70 onset increased \
freight charges. He pointed out that
the freight on a pair OF shoes would
b. .iean than s oenta