Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-02


railroad employees for more. pay to
maintain their standard of living that
President Wilson, following extended
conferences with Director General
Hines, surprised the Houss of, Repre-
sentatives late. yesterday by asking
that body to abandon . proposed re-
cess Of ave. weeks, .beginning today.
and remaining in washington to con
slider the. creation Of q commission
which would determine. all questions
concerning the wages OF railway
workers. -.-----
The House on the eve of re planned
recess voted, to. comply with the Pres.
idenrs request, which previously had
been Endorsed by the republican leg
islative steering committee At q spe-
cisl meeting - 'r''''
New Step In RAilroad' Legislation.
The President took "A. new step in
railroad Legislation IN suGsestine, to
Congrsss that. the; act 10 create the
commi ssion should ,!rhAkei the, deci-
sions Of that body nssndatery upon the
rate-mAasing bodvcana provide when
any reeomm ended increases in wages,
and, tferefore,-in the cost OF operat-
Ing the railroads"
This was the nrst time that Con-
gress ever was asked by the cnlef
executive to order the Interstate Com
merce Commission to advance pfsess
The bureasf of railway economics
made, public. figures showfng tina :
revenues In the nrst six months OF
this year amounted to e1,552, $4,000
as compared with !, q ,seb.i6i ,ooo Tor
the same 1sn6th Of. tiass during .ne
test period. in increase Of Al per cent.
Net operating income, however. has
been SPOUT 90 pei, cent. isss. due to
Increases az 7S per cent In expenses
ana - per cent In taxes.
In the face OF the growing dencit,
the railroad administration now has
before It dennnds fur tr,oreased wages
which would mean an addition Of
between $500, 900 900 and $Eooo.ooo..
900 TO thS Gay rolls. All of the oe.
mands ere backed by statistics with
the pufpose OF shswinE that steadily
mounting prices for aii things winch
All preyious. advances, leaving the
employees perhaps worse OH financial
ly than they. were before.
strike Marks Unrsst.
Indicative Of thseuprsst caused by
Sraukiy nave said would RESULT in
"upheavai," if net. corrected quickly.
was tine strike yesterday Of shopmen
in the middle west and south, not.
withdrawing orders from union
fiiseusei OF, ef their. demAnds
New wage demands before Director
Qensral, HihAs,. upof which hearinkS
SSVs been. held fetal FllDA eeoIoo
and innluds la1s go go ssasse5tas
would strike October II ne relief
vas afforded By that time; sse.eeo,o eo
aysptims IN ae II 81 the feSr
brotherhoedS when q general strike
was Threatened "A 1915 snsa .d te nna b bSs
which would 20 to the conductors Il
; ;a = requested. Some q the
demapds would adfsnce wsges rass
per csat exef the rtSswaf ieya.
ferenSs iats yesterday with Senator
Cumnnins and Representative Esch.
ohaiffaen Of the congregational COM
:ses sss s.ssr x ss ns.s s. Slss
q. ys. .sas ass s sss r csssm In
ise sp q S drsft Si,d submit i iii when
would sfabody his IDEAS.
II. Zines Letter - PRESIDENT
Mr.. 1riatF iettsr % thu President.
under date Of July 80. follows:
several months agu the railroad
shop enhpleyes ASKED fer an increase
in wages. The matter ~sts oonsider-
g 81 ire rsiireed sds, mini e sti Ear
sisss.s -@hiNtS a 6nynn Al threa
fepfeSSfifatives or labor afd three
a asRansf9sfhSls board W. Unable 70
agree and therefore took no Aetien
6 . beard. but On Jniy ~ received reg
s tao r: q. rom as1 r.. trss sSst Il me
tsfs accommodating, O. tEeneral In:
crease IN wages, and another report
ffofn tine .thfSe iiaafAg ON eht members
accommodating AsRihnt any general
increase In WnBess Although recon-.
ses sss sssss q ne % s ans
p!S fhs position III the iasof members
Of the board IL that the, Wages OF rail.
road shopmen are. SUBSTANTIALLY be.
low the wages paid similar CLASSES Of
sgSyss T. the ana AN sss arssai
fire eotintry. : ss The poi1itien Of thS
management members OF the board 10
that the wages Of shop etnployes are
not properly comparable with the
wages Of non railroad employees, cited
By the Ampleree and their represent.
atiyes . = and that q fnfther wage
iiicfe ase ct this time would simply be.
an q new cycle III this increased cost
of living, which would net bsnent tire
employees. They urge. Instead, the
adoption 81 sfestivs fnslhods o. r..
ffat Unless some action lan be taken
vaItiain 4 reasonable time to accom-.
t,iish this result, they sec ne a1ternA.
tive but to continue the wage cycle
increase with corresponding. ihereAssd
cycles Of living costs.
rhs earnest insistense that ihnme.
diats action be taken TO equalise wages
with the. rapid increase Jig the cost OF
living IL not confined to the shop efn-
ployeS.
General Demand Feared Il,
I'VE have received the NEST positive
assurances that any general increases
to shop employees will result n de.
InAnds for corresponding fncrestes 70
every other class Of railroad employees
The situation, therefore. cannot be
viewed except - whole for the en-
tire two million railroad employees
= . An Increase Of II cents Per hour,
AZ asked for by the SHIP 6mpldyAs,
would, II applied to all employees, nesif
an incfeASe OF probably $Soo,oo0,eOo