The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-10-23
ANOTHER RAIL
WAGE CRISIS
FIREMEN FIRST TO
ENTER DEMANDS
Administration Hopes Lower
Living Costs Will Be the
Solution Of Problem

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22-Thsrs were
indieations today Of An approaching
"shov down" between the railroad -.
raiuistration and the Brotherhood o.
RGlvay rraiumsn and EnGt1smA
who asked iuersassd wages last sum
msr. The report Of the waSs board
on ths demands has BEEN sent 70 the
director general who viii meet frsS.
tdsnt W. q. Lee and his .commtttso
next wednesday. The committee, com.
posed Of sixteen general chairmsn OF
districts and officers Of the 0rSAA
Lodge, viii bold . preliminary meet
ing here Tuesday.
"Thsrs 10 no ulttmatuxn about our
meeting" President Lee said To-Day,
land It does not Asosssarily involve Q
strike, though the committee has bSs1
Fivsn full power to take any steps
necessary or desirable"
Tho shopmsn, like the trat1Ms1,
have gtvsn thedr committee fuu power
to call . strike Whenever Il appears
advisable. It has been undsrStoo4
that the officers would wait at lsAsS
u1tdl December /, 70 Sc the results %
the govsrnmsat's hght On high prices
before taxing action.
Nr, Hines quAshed one unauthori1o4
strike today, after sxhSuStAg svsfy
means Of peaceful negotiations, ~
givtng the idle express workers -
New York until Friday night 70 Re-
turn to work or nnd thsdT places 3ut1.
They went back to work. This - o05
second strike In which tbs dtrScSor
General took ths most drastic ectto0
ever taken By the govsrnms1t n )
labor dispute, the arst being ths Nse.
Al rtrits Of railroad operating s1-
ployss In Southern oalifornis. rs
In addition to the labor trouble ~
sstttnQ it, the railroad AAmtntgtra43o4
also being called On By thS rAuroAA
officials 70 provide IN increase =
rates 70 take care Of the opoT1oAe
dsaett caused by the higher prices %
labor and materials. DOSpttS tho -
nouncsd policy that no Increases
would be made BY the director gso.
eral In the short period remaining et
federal control . committee from -
Association OF Railway Executives
headed BY President T. Dewitt 0uY-
Ter, will confer with him tomorrow %
the situation which will confront tAs
roads when they are turned bAck -
private ownership. @
|
WASHINGTON. Oct. .2.-Railroa,
employees are prepared for a finish nigh
with the railroad administration for IN
creased wages. time and a half 10
overtime and improved working condl
tons before the government surrender
the roads 10 private control. Cnmi'
taxable notice TO this effect has bee
served by Timothy shea. Of the nrcnici
appearing before the roard Of Isaiiws
Wages and Working Conditions -
"lf our demands for a living
should not be met when the -tmd
proaches for turning back the raj
10 their private owners" Mr.. Shea sal
in testimony which became public -
night, "wc shall demand AS n condi4c
precedent to tho change the rcalizatto
Of the fundamental rights of labor. tn
living wage. the eight hour day on a
federal controlled roads. time and a on
half for overtime. and other principle
to which the government pledged itscl
during the war. which have now bee
made a part Of the treaty OF peace an
which SO far the railroad administra
tion has never fulfilled"
Other Demands.
While Mr.. Shea was appearing on b
half Of the fremen only, II has bee
recognized generally that wage IN
creases for any one class Of railroa
employees meant an advance FOR all
maintain equality between the worker
Furthermore. Mr. Shea said he antici
patcd that the failure Of the govern
ment's efforts to reduce the cost Of liy
ing. which he frankly expected. voul
make necessary advances In pay 10
ALL workers and predicted that by Nov
ember /. the wage board would b
forced TO consider further request
for general Increases" from rAilroA
employees.
Thus II Is the view here that the GOV
crnment, as operator Of the rail trans
portation system. will be face to fac
IN a few weeks with practically tn
same labor crisis which arose durin
tho summer. At that time, Presioefl
Wilson denied the request OF the shop
mcnt for a general increase In pay O
tho ground that the vicious circle
rising wages and mounting prices ha
70 come TO an end, and that th
country should be given a fair chanc
at reconstruction after the war peftot
Lower Living Costs.
How Director Hines proposes to NEE
tho situation has not been divulSed. !
q considered certain. however. that
any wage advances are given, Prcsiden
Wilson first will be consulted. RAilroel
administration officials declare the 70
lations with the union men have neVe
boen so good as at present and in point
ing to the last report Of the labor d
nartmcnt, showing a decrease OF nftee
ncrcent in living costs in August. int
mate that the pending crisis will 3
solved in part by natural eeonoml
forces. plus Attorney General Palmer,
cfrorts to take the imitation out 9
prices.