Evening star., 1920-02-10
Hines Awaits Par
! ley With All Rep
reSentatiVes.
"WHITE HOUSE"
is DISTURBED
Strike Order of Main
tenance of Way Men:
Stirs Officials.

Wage negotiations of the railway
employees with Director General Hines
reached a critical stage today. and. II
so far as the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen is concerned. strike
loomed unless pending demands are
satisfactorily settled
W. G. Lee. president Of the union
has served notice on Mr.. Hines that
his men are very insistent and must
have definite answer soon. To this
Mr.. Hines replied that no statement
of position could be made until he had
again talked with the whole body OF
labor representatives
White House Is Disturbed.
White House and railroad admin
istration officials regard 'as most
serious the railroad situation pre-
cipitated by the orders for strike
February Il. issued by officers of the
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way
Employees.
Secretary Tumulty saw President
Wilson today to lay the subject be-
fore him, emphasizing the possibility
that this strike may be the opening
wedge for general strike of all
railroad employees should the wage
demands be refused by Director Gen
eral Hines at his conferences with
union officials now in progress.
Mr.. Hines is understood to have
conferred with Secretary Tumulty for
more than three hours last night. out
lining the situation for presentation
to the President.
Conference Is Put Over.
Union officials were to have gone
into conference with the director gen.
eral and railroad administration Of
ficials this morning. but informed the
y, Il yv~.,
more time to prepare their brief for
submission to the director general
The railroad administration was
still waiting at noon for definite in
formation from b. NJ. Jewell of the
railway department of the America n
Federation of Labor as to when the
labor conferees would meet the di-
rector general.
While no admission was forthcom-
ing from the railroad administrati ion.
the belief that the director general
regards the situation as serious was
indicated by his visit to the White
House and his telegram to President
Barker of the United Brotherhood of
Maintenance of Way Employees ask
ing for informa ton about the strike
called for next Tuesday.
Trainmen Taking Vote.
Railroad Administration officials
understand that a strike vote is be-
admitted that MIR. Lee had informed
the director general on January %
Of the unions intention to inValidate
its wage agreement on the prescribed
thirty days notice. On that basis
* was presumed he required an an
swer to the reiterated wage griev-
ances by February %. less than a
week in advance of the roads re-
turn to private control.
Mr.. Lee has not the aggressive sup
was understood. in enforcing the wage
demands by strike.
Will Demand Explanation.
IT was stated today that Mr.. Hines
will demand an accounting for the re-
ported strike call from a committee of
ten representing the maintenance-of-
way men when il arrives in Washing
ton. The committee left Detroit last
night. The call for "A strike. officials
say. violates the national agreement
between the railroad administration
and the unions. rs under the agree
ment the union must give the rail-
road administration thirty days notice
before a strike call becomes effective.
II was generally believed today that
Director General Hines would go be-
fore the representatives of the -.
900. 900 railroad workers and inform
them that their wage increases could
rot be granted. IL is underStOou he
j. willing to go no further than to ad-
.ust alleged inequalities in wages
Hope for settlement Proposal.
Representatives. of the employees are
expected to come forward with new
proposition for the settlement of their
"a So but non. of them would discuss
their plans prior to the conference.
Mr. Hines is understood to hold the
opinion that il would be inadviSabe
, Il Il lot,
-CTd,r Il general wage increase in
-rcw of the return of the roads to
1heir private owners within three
weeks He is also said to believe
HAT higher freight and passenger
rates inevitably would follow an in
crease in wages.
The conferees held only brief Ses-
sion yesterday for the reason that
preparation of the union argument
and claims had not been completed.