The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-08-26
WILL LABOR
GRANT TRUCE?
President Asked Railroad
ShOpmen to Wait for Ad-
vance in Pay
ANNOUNCEMENT
EXPECTED TO-DAY
Labor Officials Still In Conference In
Washing ngton-President Wilson Pro-
posed an Advance of 40 Cents Per
Day to Shopmen.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.-President
Wilson having laid down in his decision
Yesterday on the demands of railroad
shopmen for increased wages, the policy
that settlement of such demands must
await the restoration of normal economic
condt dttions, interest centered today on
what response the men would make to
the Presidents appeal that they coop
crate in maintaining truce in all wage
matters The first mtimation of what
course the men would pursue was expect
ed today in an announcement from their
representative here who continued i'll CON
ference on the question with Acting Presi-
dent Jewell Of the railway employees de-
| partment of the American Federation of
| Labor
| President Wilson yesterday submitted
| to representatives of the six railroad shop
crafts proposal to pay shopmen about
| four cents an hour increase on a basis
of 10 hours pay for eight hours work,
retroactive to May |.
The increase represents concession
amounting to approximately one-fourth Of
| the demand made by the shopmen.
The shopmen asked for % per cent
increase ON their basic pay of 6S cents
an hour This increase would have
amounted to II cents an hour, whereas
the proposal of the President would give
them four cents an hour, or 40 cents a
day more than the workers now receive.
I The President, ca-incident with his
statement to the shopmens representa-
tives, addressed statement to the pub
lie advising the nation of the situation
and the basis of his action.
The four-cents an hour increase pro
posed, the Presidents 5 statement said
represents a readjustment of shopmen'
wages to put their pay on the same basi,
as other railroad workers, that is, on tn,
lO-hour pay and S-hours work basis, anc
accordingly is not in the strict sense al
increase in wages.
Pointing to the shopmen's argument
that an increase i'll wages was necessary
i'll order to meet the high cost of living
the President said the workers demand
were in effect that we make an increas
in wages, which are likely to be permanent
in order to meet a temporary situation
which viii last nobody can certainly tel
how long, but in all probability only fo
a limited time
i The Presidents s statement said that 81
: is neither wise nor feasible to take car
Of increases in wages of railroad employe
at this time by increases i'll freight rates.
In his statement the President said:
1t is the duty of every citizen of tn
country to insist upon truce in sue
contests until intelligent settlements ca
be made, and made by peaceful and effect
i've common counsel. ! appeal to my fe
: low citizens of every employment to &C
: operate in insisting upon and maintain
: ing such truce, and to cooperate ais
in sustaining the government in what
: conceive to be the only course which col
scientious public servants can pursue. d.
{ mands unwisely made and passionately ii
sisted upon at this time menace the peae
! and prosperity of the country as nothin
Il else could, and thus contribute to brin
about the very results which such d
mands are intended to remedy"