The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1919-08-12
THE PRESIDENT ADVISES ON
THE STRIKE SITUATION.

THE STRIKE SITUATION.
WASHINGTON, August 11.-Pres-
! ident Wilson has formally mott
fed Director General Walker D.
Hines that he was authorized to take
up the demands of the railroad shop
employees for higher wages and de-
eide them on their merits.
The Presidents decision was an
nounced last week from the
White House in the form of letter
sent by him to Mr.. Hines. The Presi-
dent said until the employees re-
turn to work and again recognize the
| authority of their organization, the
| whole matter must be at stand
STILL
The President said the letter sent
| to him by Senator Albert B. Cum
Minis, Chairman of the Committee on
Interstate Commerce, had set me
| free to deal as 1 think best with the
difficult question of the wages of GER
tain classes of the railroad en-
ployees," but added:
THE chief obstacle to a decision
has been created by the men them
selves. They have gone out on a
strike and repudiated the authority
of their officers at the very moment
| when they were urging action in re-
gard to their interests"
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
The Presidents letter reads:
my Dear Mr.. Director General:
I am just in receipt of the letter
from Senator Albert B. Cummins,
Chairman Of the Senate Committee
on Interstate Commerce, which set
me free to deal as I think best with
the difficult question of the wages of
certain classes of railway employees,
and take advantage of the occasion
to write to you this letter, in order
that I both in the public interest
and in the interest of the railroad
employees themselves may make the
present situation as clear and definite
as possible.
Il thought it my duty to lay the
question in its present pressing
| form before the Committee of the
Senate, because 1 thought I should
not act upon this matter within the
brief interval of government control
remaining without their acquiescence
and approval. Senator Cummins' let
ter, which speaks the unanimous
judgment of the committee, leaves me
free and indeed imposes upon me the
duty to act.
1.-The question of wages of railroad
shopmen was submitted, you will re-
member, to the Board of Railroad
Wages and Working Conditions of
the Railroad Administration last
February, but was not reported upon
by the Board until the 18th of July.
THE delay was unavoidable be-
cause the Board was continuously en-
gagged in dealing with several wage
matters affecting classes of en-
ployees who had not previously re-
ceived consideration. The Board, now
having apprised us of this inability,
at any rate for the time being, to
agree upon recommendation, it is
clearly our duty to proceed with the
matter in the hope of disposing of it.
"You are therefore authorized to
say to the railroad shop employees
that the question of wages they have
raised will be taken up and consid-
cred on it's merits by the Director
General in conference with their duly
that you will make it clear to the
men concerned that the Railroad
Administration cannot deal with
problems of this sort or with any
problem affecting the men except |
through the duly chosen interna-
tional officers of the regularly cOnSti-
tuted organization and their author
lied committees.
Matters of so various nature |
and affecting so many men cannot be |
dealt with except in this way. Any |
action which brings the authority of |
the authorized representatives of the |
organization into question or dis |
credits it must interfere with, if not |
prevent, action altogether.
1.-THE chief obstacle to a decision
has been created by the men them
selves. They have gone out on
strike and repudiated the authority |
of their officers at the very moment /
when thew were urging action in re-