Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-29
The Presidents Statement.


of the United States and his statement to the
representatives of the railway shopmen, VINO
are demanding an increase in wages, snoulo
be read carefully and we'll considered by
every one not alone because they represent
the views Of the Chief Executive OF the Ma
ton but because they go to the very heart
of the most aggravating and acute problems
confronting the country today. We beheVc
the soundness of the Presidents utterances
, will appeal alike to the shopmen, whose I'M
mediate interest they affect directly, and to
the general public, whose interest is none
the less vitality involved in the questions Mr..
Wilson discusses with candor and fairness.
The railway shopmen recently demanded
an increase of twenty-five per cent IN their
wages In many sections OF the country
thew quit their work to enforce these de-
mands At the instance of the President
they returned to duty on the assurance that
their case would receive speedy consldera-
ton The matter was referred to the d.
rector General of Railroads, for investlga-
ton and report, and on the strength OF the
report submitted by Walker D. Hines, the
President Monday afternoon, announced his
decision to representatives of the shopmen
gathered at the White House. At the same
time he issued statement to the people OF
the country, informing them as TO MS &C
ton and his reasons therefor.
The shopmen now are receiving fifty-eight,
sxty-three and sixty eight cents per hour.
They demanded eighty-five cents per hour
The Director General has recommended and
the President has asked the shopmen to &C
cent an adjustment of their pay to the basis
of ten hours pay for eight hours labor, which
means an advance in basic pay from sixty
eight to seventy-two cents per hour
The shopmen rested their demands for q
twenty-five per cent wage increase on the
increase in the cost of living and, further,
that they are not enjoying the same advan-
tages of other railway employees because their
wa ges are calculated IN different basis
President Wilson comedies that the in
crease in the cost Of living is a substantial
argument, concerning which we quote him:
''This is a very potent argument in
deed. But the fact is that the cost
of living has certainly reached it's peak
and will probably be lowered by the
efforts which are now everywhere be-
ing concerted and carried out. It will
certainly be lowered as soon there are
settled conditions of production and OF
commerce; that is, as the treaty
of peace is ratified and in operation, and
merchants, manufacturers, farmers min
ers all have a certain basis OF calcula-
tion as to what their business will be
and what the conditions will be under
which it must be conducted The de-
mands of the shopmen, therefore, and
all similar demands are in effect this:
That we make increases in wages, which
are likely to be permanent, in order to
meet a temporary situation which will
last nobody can certainly tell how long,
but in all probability only for a limited
time. Increase in wages will, moreover,
certainly result in still further increas-
ing costs of production, and, therefore,
the cost Of living, and we should only
have to go through the same process
again. Any substantial increase Of
wages in leading lines of industry at
this time would utterly crush the gen.
eral campaign which the government is
waging, with energy, vigor and substan-
tial hope of success, to reduce the high
cost of living. And the increases in the
cost of transportation which would nee
esSar1ly result from increases in the
wages Of railway employees would more
certainly and more Immediately have
that effect than any other enhanced
wage costs Only by keeping the cost
Of production on its present level, by
increasing production, and by rigid econ
omy and saving on the part of the people
can we hope for large decreases in the
burdensome cost Of living which now
weights us down"
The Journal believes that the President
struck the keynote in pointing out that the
shopmen demand a permanent increase in
pay to meet a temporary emergency that Is
yielding, as he says, to the efforts of the
government to bring relief. Certainly. as
Mr.. Wilson says, any substantial increase in
wages in leading lines of industry at this
time, would seriously interfere with the cam
paign that is being waged to reduce the high
cost of living
Representatives Of the railway employees
themselves advance the argument that the
railroads are key industries in their rela-
ton to the cost of living. Any increases in
the cost Of transportation, such as must
follow further increases in the wages of
railway employees, would, as the President
says tend Enthusiastically to increase the cost
of production, which, in turn would be re-
Elected in further enhancement of the neces-
saries of life,
1t is "only by keeping the cost of produc-
ton at its present level, by increasing pro-
duction, and by rigid economy and saving. -
that the cost of living may be decreased any
substantial increase in the cost OF production
or TRANSFORMATION inevitably will defeat the
energetic efforts of the government to re-
store normal. pre-war prices in commodi es
that the people must have. Increases in the
wages of railway employees, if not taken care
OF by higher freight rates, thereby adding
TO the cost Of living must be paid from the
public treasury, thus increasing the burden
OF taxation upon the people and in this way
adding to the cost of living
The President points out in manner that
must appeal to everyone that it is impossible
until peace has come nd normal conditions
are restored to estimate the earning CAPACITY
Of the railroads under ordinary conditions
There is" the President SAYS mo
certain basis, therefore, for calculating what
the increases of freight rates should be, and
it is necessary. for the time being, at any