Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-26
WILSON AND HINES
AGREE ON PLAN To
MEET RAIL DEMANDS
Four Courses Are Left Open
to the Government in
Considering Demands Of
Railroad Shopmen
BY DAVID LAWRENCE


WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-Presi-
dent Wilson and Walker D. Hines,
director general of railroads today
agreed to a settlement of the issues
involved in the railroad shopmens
demand for increased wages The
settlement constitutes the govern
rnents conception Of It's duty both
as an administrator of the railroad
systems of the country and rep
resentative of the interests of the
tax-paying public. Four courses
were open to the federal govern
ment when the railroad shopmen
asked for increases of from 6S to
IS cents an hour. First, the de-
mands could be rejected entirely on
the ground that any increase in
wages would have to be transfer
red to an already over-burdened
public VINO void have to pay higher
freight rates and thus increase the
cost of living
Second, the demands could be ac-
copied in full and high rates impos-
ed to compensate the government
for deficits incurred. Third. the is
sue could be compromised and in
stead of paying seventeen cents
more an hour to machinists, boiler
makers, riveters and blacksmiths,
electricians and so on, as demanded
or 81 cents to car repairers, or fiji
teen cents to helpers, which con-
stitute the full extent of Iabor's
demands, the government could pay
a wage corresponding to what is
paid in other government institu-
tons such as shipyards and arse
mails. Fourth, the government could
recognize the necessity for some in
creases in pay due to the high cost
of living, but at the same time it
could investigate the truth of the
railroad shipments claim that their
wages have never been equaIized
motive engineers and other classes
of railroad employees.
These various. questions called
for investigation into previously
existing wage increases as well as
the cost of living. For one thing
1t was found that the cost of liv-
ing had increased from 1914s to
1919 at, least II per cent. This
made impossible from government
point of view the absolute rejection
of the railroad mems demands.
Moreover the agitation for ma
tionalized railroad system as out
lined by Glenn Plumb was not with
out significance and it has been the
governments desire to do as much
as was possible to quiet instead of
stimulate the growing y social I'M
rest due to reconstruction difficult
Ties and the cost of living. Stint
larly, 1t seemed that an Increase
IN wages granting everything that
the shopmen asked for would moi
racfely be a bad example from the
viewpoint of the relations between
capital and labor generally hut NO.
absolutely unjustified on the basis
or postwar conditions. f.
This left for determination the
question of whether the claim ~
inc railroad shopmen that their wa.
ses mad not been equalized with re-
spect to other classes of, rai1ro.d
L
employees was fact And +beir
claim being well founded II a,,,i,
me DUTY of the government to de-
cue now much increase would ba
granted to bring about such an
equalization. GIL
PRESIDENT Wilson and Direttor
1eenral Hines have been in constont
conference. Mr.. Hines was Of +h~
"hlte House\on Saturday and again
On sunday, which shows how inonor-
taht the president regarded as ear1v
ah announcement as possible of the
governments decision, for usu.1Iv
wi wilson goes down the river week.
eHus or makes no engagements with
ANYBODY on government business
Aoday' after an agreement had been
reached by the president and Mr.
ZINES, an invitation was extended RI
the general committee of 100 rem
resent1ng the shopmen to come to
tne white House and hear the de-
VISION from the lips Of Mr.. Wilson
with an explanation. TOO. NJ
all the circumstances involvad
Does the governments decision
- - ~ SIA inc! IudC is the big OIJea.
ton now. For it should be remer,-
moered that the shopmen had taken a.
strike vote when Mr.. Wilson pro-
posed that congress create a COM
to fix wages as well as
freight rates. That vote returnah1a
yesterday favored a strike. BMt in
the meantime congress decline. to
act, saying the president had p1e-
nary power. So the vote was taken
on really dead issue. 1t becomes
necessary for the leaders to consult
their men now id determine wheth-
er the government has done all that's
it could under the circumstances. IF
would seem to be improbable that
the shopmen will care to agitate the
matter further, but will accent the
governments award and endeavor
not only to render efficient servic.
but to demonstrate that it is No.
necessary to leave their work DE-.
aipitately and without warning to get
A hearing from their federal en-