Norwich bulletin., 1919-08-26

WdSn1ngrOn, Aug. 70. - POSJpOne ment of the settlement of wage de mands until normal econcn1ic condi -tions are restored was announced to day by President Wilson as the polio. which the admir- istration will pursue in dealing with such questions par ticul3rly those affecting railroad workers.
 The president announced also tha 1t was neither wise nor feasible at thi: tfr1e, when the most important queS tion before the country is a return tC a normal price level, to attempt to in crease freight rates to provide fund: for higher wages.
 "We ought to postpone questions O. this sort until we have the opportu nifty for certain calculate to the relations between wages and the cos of living" the president declared in 2 statement to the public explaining his decision as to wages. Tt is the duty of every citizen to insist upon a truce in such contests until intelligent set dement's can be made. and made by peace and effective common counsel. appeal to my fellow citizens of every employment to cooperate in insisting upon and maintaining such a truce."
 Mir. Wilson's statement was issued in connection with the decision of himself and Director General Hines or demands by railroad shopmen for a 25 per cent. advance in wages. but the general policy pronounced covers also the wage 6.e ensandS of other hup- . dreds of thousands of railroad work CTS, which are pending before the di- rector general or about to be present. ed. It is to be expected that other unions trying to ottain more pay will be asked. as the shcpmen.- to play their part with other citizens in re- ducing the cost of living by foregoing a temporary adH antage which would add to transportation costs
 The decision of the president and the director general was announced to q committee of ore hundred. repre- Eenting the shopmen. In reply to their demands for a 25 ger cent. increase, the shoplncn were asked to accept an adjustment Of their pay to the basis of ten hours pay for eight hours work which they contended was given other employees and denied them when the Adamson law became effective. This meaus an advance of the basic pay from 6s cents to 72 cents an hour. whereas an increase of F cents to s5 cents an hour was demanded.
 In view of the delay of the railroad administration board of wages and working conditions in reporting on the demands of the shopmep, Director General Hines recommended that the from May l. although the boards re- port was made July Is. the date of re- port generally being taken as the re- troactive date.
 New Scale of Wages.
 Under the new scale of wages ma $, riveters, blacksmiths. sheet metal workers and electricians. all of whom now receive 6S cents an hour will re- ceive T2 cents. Helpers will receive 49 cents an hour instead of the present wage of 45 cents.
 In addition to the four cents an hour increase for most of the shopmen which results from the adjustment of the basis. the director general ordered that all freight car repair men re- ceived 67 cents an hour, instead of 63 cents for steel car repairers and 5S cents for wood car repairers, and that car inspectors should receive 67 cents instead of 5S cents with the exception in both classes that the increase for men employed at outlying points, where the work is not continuous, shall be fou- cents an hour.
 Acting President Jewell of the rail- way employees department of the American Federation of Labor. and his advisers said they would commu- nicate the decision to the union locals for acceptance or reflection. A strike vote completed yesterday. but not yet tabulated, was the question wheth- CT the men should quit work to en- force consideration of their demands by the railroad administration instead of by a congressional commission as first suggested. As. this plan was abandoned. the vote. whatever it's re- suit Is on-effective and the shopmen now have an entirely new question be- fore them.
 Presidents Statement.
 The president in his statement to uhe representatives of the shopmen said:
 'Gentlemen:-I request that you lay this critical matter before the men in taken upon the question whether they should insist upon the wage increase they were asking or consent to the submission of their claims to a new
 
 islaticn. That question no longer has any life in 1t. Such legislation is not now in contemplation. I request. that you ask the men to reconsider the considerations. to which I ask their thoughtful attention as Americans, and which I hope that you will lay be- fore them as I here state them.
 Facing a Grave Situation. we are face to face with a situa- ton which is more likely to affect the happiness and prosperity, and even the life, of our people than the war it. self. We have now got to do nothing less than bring our industries and our labor of every kind back to a normal basis after the greatest upheaval known in history. and the winter just ahead of us may bring suffering in flnftely greater than the war brought upon us if we blunder fail in the process.
 All Should Make Concessions.
 "An admirable spirit of self-sacri- fee. of patriotic devotion. and of com munity action guided and inspired us while the fighting was on We shall need all these now. and need them in a heightened degree, if we are to ac- compiish the first tasks of peace. They are more difficult than the tasks of war-more complex. less easily un- derstood-and require more intelli- gence, patience and sobriety. We mo- bilized our man power for the fight l ing, let us now mobilize our brain ! power -and-our cnnscienoaz fer the re-