The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-09-05
ASK. TRUCE IN
WAGE DISPUTES
wilson Makes Clear the
Government Policy
AWAIT NORMAL CONDITIONS
The President Appeals To Labor 30
Cooperate In Insisting Upon And
Maintaining Such A
~ Truce.

Washington.-P ostponement of the
settlement of wage demands until nor
NAL economic conditions are restored
was announced by President Wilson
as the policy which the administration
will pursue in dealing with such Ques-
tions, particularly those affecting rail-
road workers.
The President announced also that
it was neither wise nor feasible at
this time, when the most important
question before the country is re-
turn to a normal price level, to at
tempt to increase freight rates to PRO-
vide funds for higher wages.
I'VE ought to postpone questions Of
this sort until we have the opportunity
for certain calculations as to the rela-
tons between wages and the cost Of
living" the President declared in a
statement to the public explaining his
decision as, to wages. 1T is the duty
of every citizen to insist upon a truce
in such contests until intelligent set
Elements can be made and made by
peace and effective common counsel.
| appealto my fellow-citizens of every
employment to cooperate in insisting
upon and maintaining such truce"
Mr.. Wilson's statement was issued
IN connection with the decision of him
self and Director-General Hines on de-
mands by railroad shopmen for a 25
per cent. advance in wages, but the
general policy pronounced covers also
the wage demands of other hundreds
of thousands Of railroad workers which
are pending before the Director-Gen-
eral or about to be presented. It is
ing to obtain more pay will be asked,
as the shopmen, to play their part with
other citizens in reducing the cost of
living by foregoing temporary adj
vantage which would add to transport
tation costs.
The decision of the President and
the Directors General was announced
to committee of 100 representing the
shopmen. In reply to their demands
for a Is per cent. increase the shop
men were asked to accept an adjust
ment of their pay to the basis of 10
hours pay for eight hours work, which
they contended was given other en-
ployes and denied them when the
Adamson law became effective. This
means an advance of the basic pay
from So cents to " cents an hour
whereas an increase of II cents to IS
cents an hour was demanded.
In view of the delay of the Railroad
Administration Board on wages and
working conditions in reporting on the
demands of the shopmen. Director-Gea-
eral Hines recommended that the new
rate of pay be made retroactive from
May /, although the boards report
was made July 16, the, date of report
generally being taken as the retroac-
tive date
Under the new scale of wages ma
chinists, toolmakers, boilermakers,
riveters, blacksmiths, sheet metal
workers and electricians, all of whom
now receive 68 cents an hour, will re-
ceive 72 cents. Helpers will receive
40 cents an hour instead of the pres
ent wage of As cents.
Acting President Jewell, of the rail
way employees department of the
American Federation of Labor, and
his advisers said they would commu-
nicate the decisionto the union locals
for acceptance or rejection. A strike
vote. just completed, but not, vet tab
ulated, was on the question whether
the men should quit work to enforce
consideration of their demands by the
Railroad Administration instead of by
Congressional commission as first
suggested. AS this plan was aban-
doned, the vote, whatever its result,
is noneffective and the shopmen now
have an entirely new question before
them.
This question they were asked by
President Wilson. through their com
mittee, to consider ''in new light"
I'VE are face to face with a situa-
tion," the President said, which is
more likely to affect the happiness
and prosperity and even the life of our
people than the war itself"