The Topeka state journal., 1919-08-04
union CHIEFS
IN ULTIMATUM
TO PRESIDENT
Must Remedy Living COndi-
tiOns or Can't Hold Men.
ShOpmen's Strike Is Growing
Over Entire Country.
25O,OOO NOW have QUIF JOBS
Serious Steel Tie-Up Caused al
Gary, Ind.
Kansas City Locals Are Taking
Strike Vote Today. O.

Washington, Aug. 4.-Officials of
the six big railway shopmen's unions
told President Wilson today they could
not approve his plan of the settlement
of railway wage problems. and asked
the immediate granting of increases
averaging approximately 25 per cent
which were demanded last January.
Declaring that twenty thousand
shopmen already have walked out on
an unauthorized strike, the union Off
cials said If there was further delay in
granting the demands the situation
would get beyond thier control.
Washington. Aug. 4.-AI railroad
officials row in Washington were
asked by Director General Hines to
meet with him at noon today for
conference on the high cost of liv-
ing.
Besides the chiefs of the engineers
and railway trainmen who already
have made demands for increased
wages to meet high living costs, it was
expected that the heads of the other
two brotherhoods and the organiza-
tions of the shopmen and clerks
would attend the meeting. Thus a
majority of the two million railroad
workers would be represented.
At Head of Campaign.
Mr.. Hines expected to explain his
plan to have congress create a COM
mission to go into all phases of rail-
road wages. This plan was proposed
to congress last week by the president
AS chairman of the committee ap-
pointed by Attorney General Palmer's
conference on means to reduce the
cost of living, Mr.. Hines is in close
touch with plans under consideration
to bring about normal level of prices
and relieve the distress of the average
citizen. 1t was said today that the
director general devoted the whole of
Sunday to considering the cost of iv-
ing problems, going over many sug-
gestions made by Assistant Secretary
Leffingwell and Commissioner Colver,
the other two members of the COM
mittee.
A report to the conference will be
made tomorrow at the second meet
ing of cabinet members and other Of
ficials called together by Mr.. Palmer
and recommendations are expected to
be transmitted soon to President Will
son.
25O,OOO Shopmen Now Striking.
Chicago, Aug. 4.-The strike of fed
Grated shopmen entered on its fourth
day today and has already involved
approximately 25O,000, and will soon
spread to every section of the country.
local officials of the union declared
today. unless their demands are speed
lily met.
The ranks Of the strikers were aug
mented by several thousand yesterday.
many others voted to join today, while
locals at a number of important rail-
way centers, including Kansas City,
Mo-, were to ballot during the day on
the question of going out. Fifteen
hundred shopmen at Superior, Wis,
were to quit work today, according to
the president OF the Superior local
Should the men quit at Superior, and
other railway terminals at the head of
Lake Superior, sthe movement of iron
ore would be seriously hampered with
in a few days, officials said.
At Cumberland, Md, the shopmen
Of the Baltimore & Ohio railway
who went out Friday, called off the
strike Sunday, on the ground that it
did not have official sanction.
In other cities the locals at mass
meetings decided not to strike until
orders came from their executive Off
cials who are now in Washington in
conference with officials of the rail-
road administration.
The most serious tie-up of industry
caused by the shopmen's strike was
reported from Gary, Ind, when eight
of the twelve blast furna ces there of
the u. S. steel corporation were
banked. 1t was said ten thousand men
were thrown out of employment as
result of the shutting down of these
furnaces.
Railroad officials said that traffic
would begin to suffer seriously within
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