The Washington times., 1919-12-26
R. R. UNION CHIEFS
WANT QUICK RAISE
Hurry Here to Demand Wage
Increase Before Roads Go
Back to Owners.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


president Of the American Federation
of Labor. has called for December %.
Leaders today were reluctant to
predict thae there would be general
railroad strike, although they indi-
Gated that they believe such possible
IL working conditions are not i'm
proved before the roads go back to
their private owners.
Some labor leaders here believe
that the return OF the railroads on
March ! will be to their advantage
for they are confident that unless
Congress enacts strong protective leg
islation the Government will be
forced to take the railroads back
again to save them from bankruptcy.
Some leaders intimated that there
might be a strike for the purpose of
forcing the Government to resume
control Of the railroads.
"Near Crisis, Postponed.
President Wilson's decision to turn
the railroads back to their owners
March 1 today brought into pro1i-
ence two phases of the already COM
plicated railroad problem.
First, the Presidents action has ap-
parently postponed the near crisis"
brought on by requests of railroad
labor for more money, with the de-
mand that they require an answer to
these requests before the roads pass
out Of the Governments hands.
Political Issue Seen
Second-The railroad question has
apparently been made a political
issue.
The two phases of the situation are
interviewer since the railroad workers
are threatening t ocarry their agita.
tion for continuation of Government
control to the ballot box.
Until Wednesday night when the
Presidents railroad proclamation was
issued the workers had gone on the
assumption that the roads would go
back by January l. The shopmen
we're actively pressing demands for
an increase before that date.
1000, 900 Workers Involved.
The shopmen and the other railroad
workers, who were watching the out
come Of the shopmen's effort before
pressing their own demands believed
their chances for an increase would
be weakened when the roads were
turned back. Now that March 1 has
been set for the date Of return, there
are left two months to negotiate.
The political phase of the railroad
question also involves the 1000, 900
workers and their desires for a con.
tinuation of Government control
Heads Of railroad brotherhoods,
aided by Samuel Gompers, head Of the
American Federation Of Labor, have
asked both the President and Con-
gress for a two-year continuation of
Government control William Jen-
nings Bryan has recently indicated
that he is in sympathy with labor's
desires on the question.
Labor Clause Troubles
Conferees working on the Cummins
and Esch bills for the return of the
railroads today stated that their big
gest difficulty will be found in the
labor provisions of the bill.
The anti-strike provisions or the
Cummins bill. making strikes unlaw-
ful. is not agreeable 10 the House
and the Senate conferees are agreed
10 stand firmly for the Cummins bill
labor provisions.
Senator Lenroot OF Wisconsin has
onered n compromise measure which
may aid in solving the problem. Tn
der the terms or Senator Lenroot's
proposal any railroad employe who
failed TO abide by the decisions OF the
wage adjustment board would be SUBJ
pected to blacklist and would be
forbidden employment on any rail-
road for period OF four months.
Propose Board Changes.
Proposals have been made for
changes in the personnel of the wage
adjustment board, provided by the
Cummins bill. II is proposed to
change the composition OF this board