Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-08
TO DECIDE CLAIMS
Of SHOP WORKERS
ON Their MERITS
Executive Declares Strikers
Must First Return
to Work.
HINES TO DEAL ONLY WITH
AUTHORIZED LABOR BODIES
Men Who Have Left Their Jobs
Condemned for Taking
Hasty Action.
DID NOT AWAIT BOARDS ACTION
Wilson Warns Members Must Not Re.
pudiatc Authority of Their
Organizations.
HINES TO DEAL ONLY WITH
AUTHORIZED LABOR BODIES
DID NOT AWAIT BOARDS ACTION
Wilson Warns Members Must Not Re.
pudiatc Authority of Their
Organizations.
TBy Associa ted Press.l


Wilson tonight notified Director Cen
eral Hines that he was authorized TO
/ take up the demands of railroad shop
employees for higher wages and decide
them on their merits.
The President said that the letter
sent him by Senator Cummins, chair
man of the Committee on Interstate
Commerce had set me free to deal
as think best with the difficult aues-
ton of the wages of certain classes
of the railroad employees" but added:
The chief obstacle TO a decision has
been created by the men themselves.
repudiated the authority of their offi
GERS GERS, at ,r, the very moment when they
| interests"
Sends Letter to Hines.
The Presidents decision was an
nouncei tonight from the White House
NJ. Hines. The President said that
until the employees return to work
and again recognize the authority of
must be at a standstiii"
The Presidents letter follows:
from Senator Albert B. Gu cummins. MINIS
chairman Of the Senate Committee on
iinterstate Commerce. which sets me
question OF the wages of certain classes
OF railway employees. and l take ad-
vantage ,hia ist OF the occasion to write you
in the public interest and in the in
teTests OF the railroad employees them
clear and definite as possible.
Cummins' Letter Frees President.
Il thought it my duty TO lay the
question in its present pressing, form
because T thought 'ef should G ide noi ssnate: aet
upon this matter within the brief in
teIvai or government control remain
proHal. Senator Cummins' letter, which
speaks the unanimous Judgment of the
committee. leaves me free and indeed
IMPOSES upon me the duty to act.
The question of the wages of rail-
road shopmen was submitted. YOU will
| remember, 10 the board OF railroad
railroad administration last February.
but was not reported upon by the
board until the 6th of July. The de-
lay was unavoidable because the board
was continuously engaged in dealing
with several wage matters affecting
classes of employees who had not pre-
board now having apprised us OF this
inability. at any rate for the time
being, to agree upon recommendation
It is clearly our duty TO proceed with
the matter in the hope of disposing of
Consider Question ON Merits.
You are therefore authorized to say
| TO the railroad shop employees that
the question of wages they have raised
| will be taken up and considered on
its merits by the director general in
conference with their duly accredited
representatives. ! hope that YOU will
make it clear to the men concerned
| that the railroad administration can
not deal with problems of this sort or
with any problems affecting the men.
except through the duly chosen inter-
| national officers or the regularly con-
sti:uted organization and their author
ized committees. Matters Of SO vari-
Gus nature and affecting so many
men cannot be dealt with except in
the authority OF the authorized repre-
sentativcs OF the organization into
question or discredts it, must inter
together. The chief obstacle 10 a de-
cision has been created by the men
and repudiated the authority OF their
, officers al The very moment when they
we're urging action in regard to vari
| Gus interests.
Workers Ont of Control.
You will remember that confer
| ence between yourself and the author
lied representatives of the men was
arranged al the instance OF these rep
| resentativcs for July IS To discuss the
wage question and the question Of Il
national agreement. but before this
place. local bodies Of railway shopmen
took action looking toward "a strike on
the hrst of August. As result Of
this action. various strikes actually
took place before there was oppor-
tuniiy to act in a satisfactory or con-
elusive way with respect to the wages.
In the presence of these strikes and
the rtpudiation of the authority of
the representatives of the organization
concerned. there can he no considcra-
tion Of the matter in controversy. I'm
til the employees return TO work and
again recognize tao authority OF their
organization. the whole matter must
be at standstill.
When Federal control OF the rail
roads began, the Railroad Administra-
,ioH accepted existing agreements be-
tween the shopmen's organization and
tn. several railroad companies. and by
ag.eemer. machinery was created for
handling the grievances of the shop
mems nrgan:Zatior OF all the railways,
whether they had heretofore had the
benets OF definite agreements or not.
There can he no question, therefore.
of the readiness of the government to
dea' in spirit OF fairness and by
rnSula~ metnods with any matters the
men may bring to their attention.
Concerned and very careful conSid-
GRAFTON il being given ny the entire
government 10 tho question Of reduc-
| Continued on Second Page.)