Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1919-12-26
MUST HAVE INCREASED
WAGES BEFORE ROADS
GO BACK TO OWNERS
Big Conference Now Being
Held In Washington.
(By international News service.)

(By international NcWs Sc'N'ccJ
Washington, Dec. 26.-Railroad
employees will press their demands
for increased wages before the rail-
roads are returned To their private
owners.
II was announced that the chief or
the four railroad brotherhoods have
called to Washington to meet to-
morrow or Sunday with the heads
of the railroad unions affiliated with
the American Federation Of Labor
At this conference II is expected
that some action will be taken TO
force wage increases before tho
roads are returned on March 1.
Our patience Ia about exhaust
Cd said w. II. Johnson, head oof
the intentional Mechanic union
which includes railroad shopmen.
Our men are under paid and they
will leave slngly or In groups I'M
less wage increases are granted"
Tho railroad shopmen are to
have conference with Director
General Hines either tomorrow or
early next week to discuss their
demands that wages BIO increased
TO meet the cost of living. In view
of the contemplated return of the
railroads on March /, Johnston In.
Dictated that tho shopmen would not
accept any plea that they withhold
their demands until the government
has further opportunity to reduce
tho cost Of living.
Bert M. Jewell, head OF the rail-
road employees department of the
American Federation OF Labor,
! said that laborers attitude toward
the return of the railroads would
be thrashed out in conference
with Samuel Gompers, president OF
the American Federation of Labor,
! as called for December 30.
Lenders today were reluctant to
predict that there would be gener-
al railroad strike although they In
dicatcd that they believed such pos
sible II working conditions are not
improved before the railroads go
back To 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
legislation that tho government
| will be forced to take the railroads
back again to save them from bank
ruptcy Some leaders intimated that
| there might be Il strike for the pur-
| pose Of forcing the government to
resume It's control Of the railroads.
Announcement was made at the
American Federation of Labor
headquarters that the brother
! hood chiefs have been invited by
telegraph to join with the heads of
the railroad unions and that n Was
expected chat the conference would
be open tomorrow.
A meeting Of the executive COM
mittee of the Plumb Plan League
to discuss the presidents contem-
plated return OF the railroads, has
been called for this afternoon.
News To Stone
Cleveland, O.. Dec. 26.-"Its all
news 10 me said Warren S. Stone,
grand chief Of tho brotherhood of
locomotive engineers, today when
told of the report from Washington
Aihl INV ldlllodu men VIII press
iheir wage demands before the
roads are returned to. private own
ership.
Il have not been advised Of any
thing in Washington and have no
present plans for going there to
discuss such action"
Santa Fe Men Threaten
Albuquerque, N. NJ, Dec. ga
direct threat that six hundred
thousand union workers, members
of the six railroad shop trades, will
20 on strike If congaess includes the
anti-slrik clause in legislation pro-
yiding for he return on the rail-
roads 10 their present owners on
March ] was made by w. S. Pat.
terson. secretary-treasurer of the
International Mechanics Union Of
the Santa Fe railroad today.
Patterson said while he had no
authority TO cal strike he repere-
sents. fully the sentiment of the
men"