Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-09-05
OPERATE TRAINS
OR The U. S. WILL
Director General Hines Warns
Strikers in the West to
Go to Work.
ACCEPT OFFER, SAY CHIEFS
Union Leaders Urge Men to Agree to
the Wilson Plan Pending Re-
duction of the High Cost
of Living.

Washington, Aug 30.-Director Gen
eral Hines served notice on public
officers, railroad officers, and employees
and citizens generally in California
Arizona and Nevada" that the rail-
road administration would undertake
to restore full railroad service in those
states on and after seven o'clock next
Saturday morning.
All striking employees who do not
return to work by that time will find
their places filed.
Any one who interferes with or I'M
pedes the use of railroad property, Mr.
Hines said, would be dealt with for
having committed an offense against
the United States.
This action, coming after the an
nouncement by the four brotherhood
chiefs that they would assist the rail-
road administration in operating the
lines, if the illegal strike was not ter
minated, is the most drastic ever
taken by the government in labor
controversy.
Mr.. Hines, in addition, sent tele-
grams to the governors of California,
Nevada and Arizona and to the mayors
of principal cities in those states ask
ing cooperation in maintaining traf-
tic and in preventing interference with
the movement of trains.
Washington, Aug. 0.-Acceptance
of President Wilson's offer of small
wage increase pending the outcome or
the governments efforts to reduce the
cost of living was advised by the exec
utive council of the railway shop
unions in a letter sent to all union
locals.
Officials of the unions conferred
with Samuel Gompers, president, and
other members of the executive COM
mittee of the American Federation Of
Labor. Their letter said if there was
to be a strike every class of railway
employees should be willing to join in
the movement.
eff the federated shop trades strike
now" the letter said, 'they carry the
full burden of securing the same gen
eral increase for the IS per cent of
the railroad employees who have not
yet decided what action they propose
to take We do not believe that we
should allow ourselves to be placed in
that position.
SIN our opinion the next 80 days will
bring the entire situation to head,
and if a strike is to take place every
class of railroad employees should be
willing to join in the movement, share
their full measure of responsibility
and not leave the issue to be decided
by % per cent of the railroad en-
ployees represented by the federated
trades.
''It is our honest judgment that a
fatal mistake would be made by our
members to assume the responsibility
of tying up the railroads at this time
when the president is evidently doing
all possible to reduce the high cost Of
living.
'It is but fair to assume that the
president will have the loyal support
of a majority of the American public
in his effort to procure this much
needed relief We would, no doubt,
be charged with obstructing his efforts.
'It should be understood, however,
that if the government fails to effect a
substantial reduction in the cost of
living within a reasonable tirne we
reserve the right to put the strike vote
into effect"
Upon his return here from Europe
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, went
into conference with officials Of the Is
railroad unions to discuss President
Wilson's decision that there should be
no general increase in railroad en-
ployees' wages while the government
was conducting its campaign to reduce
living costs.