The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-09
Railway Workmen Insist That
q. Railway Administration
Grant Their Demands
THEY Do NOT INTEND
TO BROOK ANY DELAY
Emphatic Disapproval of Presi-
dents Plan of Action Through
Congress Expressed

Congress Expressed
Washington, Aug. 6.-Acting as a
unit for the first time IN the presen-
tation of wage demands, the II pr1a-
cipal railroad unions today in ex-
pressing to Director General Hines
their disapproval Of President vii
sons proposal that congress create a
commission to consider increased
wages, declared that wage questions
must be settled Immediately.
a general program to meet tue
present crisis Involving the threat Of
nationwide strike was submitted to
the director general. It was suggest
ed that the money TO provide in
ere ,sed pay should come from an ap7
preparation by congress to be followed
by appropriate freight rate advances.
This temporary relief" must be &C
cempanied by a determined effort to
reduce the cost Of living.
Permanent solution Of the railroad
problem was declared to depend upon
the removal Of return to capital, as
the sole purpose of operation and the
director general accordingly was
asked TO recommend to President
Wilson that he attempt to obtain early
passage by congress of organized Ia
Dor bill to eliminate private capital
from control Of the railroads and TO
give the employees a share in the
profits. The unions declared the be
lief of the workers that transporta-
tor. rates should be sufficient to guar
antee just wages, maintain the prop
erties and give equitable returns on
money invested.
First Unified Action.
Interesting as were the suggestions
for removing the menace OF nation
wide strike. the united action Of the
II Organize tons attracted equal at
tention., Labor leaders who We're
questioned declined to say whethe.
the unions would act as a whole in
the future 5ot declared they were go
ing through with the present situation
as one body. The result will be to put
the solid weight Of 100000 persons,
VIRTUALLY the entire rail transporta-
tien personnel of the United States
sbslity as never before Of the paralysis
of the nations life if general strike
Should ensue-
Cooperation between the four great
trotherhoods = Engineers, tiremen,
conductors and trainmen-for the first
time several years ago. proved the
power of united action IN passage of
the Adamson act.
The present situation was said to
be similar, but infinitely more danger
Gus. Not only are the four brother
hoods involved but all the other unions
also which have to deal with main
fenance Of equipment and the moving
OF trains.
The program submitted to Director
General Hines declared that the en-
ployees are entitled to compensation
which would at least reestablish the
pre-war purchasing power Of their
wage. Rates Of pay. it was said, We're
: IL no way correlated to transportation
charges. The plan for congress
sionaI commission was djsapproved be-
cause at means months Of delay at a
time when the questions involved re-
quire immediate settlement, the pro
gram said, continuing:
sYou already have in the beard Of
railroad wages and working condi-
tons the necessary machinery to dis
pose of these questions and we ask
that their function De restored and
they be allowed 10 pass upon the ques-
tons submitted to them and that their
~
sentatiyes of the organized organiza- :
tons for their consideration and be
mutually agreed upon before being is
sued.
Question OF Money.
The money with which to pay these
Increases should. in our opinion. be
raised by an appropriation to be OF
sufficient amount to temporarily take
care of immediate deficits. In the
meantime let the proper rate making
body make a careful study as 10 what
if any. Increases should be made in
passenger and freight rates.
Prompt action in this regard being
both essential and desirable. This Will
only give temporary relief and must
be accompanied, or Immediately fol-
lowed by q. determined united effort
TO not only prevent :, further increase
in the cost Of living bat TO secure q
reduction therein.
AIRY permanent solution Of the rail
road problem must necessarily renlo"e
the element Of return capital Is the
sole purpose Of operation. Therefore.
we ask that YOU urge upon the F'rnsi-
dent the necessity for the prompt pas
sage by congress OF the required APP
propriation bill TO meet the enaerg-
ency existing