The Meeker herald., 1919-08-09
WANT WAGE INCREASE
MUST HAVE MORE MONEY " Llv
ING COST 70 NOT CUT SOON.
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE
GNolNGGRe PUT Htoh COST
w TO WILSON.

Of living aud growing unrest AIMING
wage earners Of America were put di.
rectly up to the President by the ad.
visory hoard of the Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Engineers.
The memorandum follows:
Mr.. Vresident and Gentleinea Of the
Cabinet:
The gentlemen accompanying, with
myself. constitute the advisory board
Of the Brotherhood Of Locomotive En-
Glnee1. They are the officers Of that
organization who are charged With
the responsibility Of safeguarding the
int-resta Of its membership aud direct.
Ing Its policy.
''Tlsey come from practically every
section Of the United States and Can
ada. They are in constant, close touch
with the rank and file Of the locomo-
tive engineers and also have general
knowledge Of the conditions Of all TOLL
Ing clauses.
"At . meeting Of this board In
Cleveland the matter Of an increase
Ia compensation Commemorate with
the condition W find because of ths
constantly Increasing cost Of living
commodities was thoroughly and stu
diously considered.
I'VE know that widespread spirit
Of unrest exists anseng al classes, e.
peclally among wage earners, WHOSE
wages will no longer provide adequate
food. shelter aud raiment for them
selves and famIliex
I'VE believe the situation IL brought
about mainly by cos,scienceless profit.
eering by the great Interests who have
secured control Of all the neces>sariss
Of life.
AT this time We find ourselves
obliged to again request IN Increase
In wages 10 meet the mounting cost
Of living; but we feel that should this
request be granted the relief would BE-
only temporary should prices continue
to soar
I'VE believe that the true remedy
for the situation. and QUE that will
result In lifting the burden under
Which the whole people sre struggling.
In for the government to take nome
adequate measure to reduce the coat
Of the nscesaariss Of life TO a figure
that the present wages and Income Of
the people will meet.
"ShOuld this not he considered feas-
ible, we will be forced to urge that
those whom We represent be granted
40 Increase III wages to meet the de-
terioration Of the purchasing price Of
the dollar, he that what II may. This
can easily be determined by competent
assaority.
This action may be unique and II
may be properly termed n pioneer
movement In the history Of labor or
sanisatlons In seeking an audience
Nth the chief executive Of our coun-
try, and In manner suGKextInE to
him the converting Of the members Of
his cabinet or that portion that may
be quickly assembled.
However. the result sought seems
to US to Justify the n,eana, and should
our efforts In this direction complete
~ fall then We will be forced to re-
quest granting 81 an increase In
wages 10 enable them to live accord.
Ing to the American standard.
"Yet We find ourselves to-day earn
Ing less money than we did prior to
the war. This can be demonstrated
ny simply taking as an illustration 4
daily wage OF q prior to the war,
which At that time was worth hU
cents, and today II 10 worth approx.
inateiy, judging from competent au.
thority, only $2.lh
we invite Jd6r attention to the
fact ihat. approximately Y per cent
Of the locomotive engineers are Amer
lean born citizena and It may Ike
safely stated that the remaining per
cent are naturallsei citizens; and
they have, Of course, = Great inter-
est In not only their own welfare, but
In the welfare Of all the people, and
they are not unmindful Of your past
efforts In behalf Of the people, and
they should exert every effort, not
only for themselves, but for the cOuu-
try 10 ssnssal. - well ~ the admin
s's1tiou.