Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-29
CUMM1NS-
ACT RECEIVES
SIGNATURE OF
THE PRESIDENT
Wilson Approves Measure.
Containing Legislation for
Handling Railroads Under.
Private Management.
REPLY IS ALSO MADE
TO UNIONS DEMANDS
Bill Now Having Become
Law, Way Is Open for
Action on Wage Matter,
According to Its Terms.

Gsv MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiREI
Washington, Feb. 2S.-President
Wilson signed the railroad bill to-
night on the eve of the return of
the roads to their owners and to
rivate control.
In proclamation issued at the
time the bill was signed. Mr.. Will
son vested in Walter ID. Hines, di-
rector general or railroads, Virtu-
ally all power conferred upon the
executive by the bill. Mr.. Hines
will also continue to exercise the
duties of director general which
continued beyond the return of the
roads to private control at mid
might Sunday.
The White House also made
rublic the text of the presidents
reply to a recent request of repre-
sc natives of the railroad brother
hoods that he appoint a commits
sion composed equally of employees
and employers delegates to con-
slider wage demands made by the
trotherhoods. 1t deals wholly with
the wage demand settlement pro-
posals and does not refer directly
to the memorial later presented by
the brotherhood heads asking that
he veto the railroad bill.
Announcement Of the signing of
the bill came after officials had
become convinced Mr.. Wilson did
not intend to act tonight although
they We're certain he would not
permit the measure to become a
law by the expiration of the ten
day limit allowed for presidential
approval or veto of an act of con-
gress. There were indications that
the presidents action on the bill
vas delayed pending his compile
ton of his reply TO the brother
hoods heads.
In his letter Mr.. Wilson said the
passage of the railroad bill made
it evident that cannot act on your
suggestions until it should have
leen determined whether the bill
would become a law or not"
at was manifest" the letter
continued, "that if the bill should
become law the negotiations and
consideration of the wage matter
ought to proceed in harmony
Herewith.
"The bill having now become n
law, the way is open for immediate
action on the wage matter in ac-
cordance with the terms of the bill,
Section 301 of the bill evidently
contemplates that the carriers and
employees should, as suggested by
you. select Representatives who will
thus constitute a bipartisan board
for the purpose of attempting ny
conference to agree upon a solu-
ton of this wage problem.
"In accordance with the assur-
ance l gave last August and re-
peated in substance in my letter Of
the thirteenth instant, shall at
once request the carriers and the
employees to join in this action. |
believe such step will go far to-
ward clarifying and maturing the
subject for final disposition. In
fact, the sort of board thus con-
templated by section 301 appears
to be an appropriate substitute for
the committee of experts which /
have heretofore suggested, and in.
deed such a board will be author
lied to go further than such
committee could have gone.
while it is true that the pro-
visions of section 307 of the rail-
road bill relating to the labor
board will probably also come into
operation as to this wage matter,
nevertheless the bipartisan board
can make a great deal of progress,
which will materially diminish the
TConfinuad IN papa TuoN