New-York tribune., 1920-01-08
to Unite
With Farmers
To Cut Prices
Plan of Rail Brotherhoods
To Be Expanded to Pro.
vide Direct Path From
Producer to Consumer

WASHINGTON, Jan. z (By The Asso-
ciated Press).-Failing to obtain salts
factory relief from the high cost of
living, either through further wage ad-
vances from the railroad administra-
tion or from the anti-profteering cam
paign Of the Department of Justice, Of
ficials of the four big railroad brother
hoods and the railroad shop crafts af-
filiated with the American Fedk ration
OF Labor have decided to seek solu-
tlon for themselves through co0pera-
tive buying, production and distribu-
tion. The step was construed in some
quarters as indicating that demands
Tor further wage increases would not
be pressed pending outcome of the ex-
pertinent.
Details of the cooperative scheme
have not vet been completed, but plans
have been under consideration since
the farmer-labor conference at Chi
cago, in November. The formation of
the All-American Farmer-Labor Co.
operative Commission, an outgrowth of
the conference, was announced to-day
at it's Offices here. Another conference
will take place in Chicago, February 12
to Is.
Stone General Treasurer
Warren s. Stone, grand chief of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
and one of the organizers of the Chi
cago meeting, is general treasurer of
the cooperative commission, and other
officials of the railway employees or
CARNATIONS are officers of the commits
sion.
Representatives of the four big
brotherhoods conferred during the day
with Howard Figg, special assistant to
the Attorney General and in charge Of
the campaign against the high cost of
living. After the meeting Mr.. Figg said
the brotherhood representatives had
come to obtain first-hand information
regarding results achieved by the De-
partment of Justice, and had informed
him that their organizations planned
to solve their own problems of living
costs through cooperative methods.
Indication that pressure from rail-
way workers for increased wages might
be lessened was seen in statement by
Bert M. Jewell, acting president of the
railway employees department of the
Federation of Labor, that "an increase
in pay will not solve the problem"
Jewell asserted that higher wages, ac-
companied by proportionate increase
in prices, results in "vicious circle"
which leaves the railroad man no bet
Ger off after the increase in pay than
he was with the smaller salary.
Economic Remedy Advocated
Other officers Of railway workers or
carnations as we'll as Jewell saw no
hope for relief in prosecution of
profiteers and declared sthe only way
to deal with an economic situation was
with economic factors.
An alliance of the farmers, the or
ganized producers, on the one hand,
with the --laborers or organized con-
sumers, on the other hand, is the pur-
pose of the cooperative commission,
said Jewell, who is member Of the
commission. It aims to conduct a
vigorous campaign for direct dealing
between farm producers and city con-
sumers, and, as soon as feasible, be-
tween city producers and farm con-
sumers."
Inauguration of extensive co0pera-
tive schemes among the railroad
brotherhoods' embership Immediately
after the Chicago conference in Feb
ruary was predicted by H. E. Wills,
legislative representative Of the loco
motive engineers. Plans for organiza-.
tion of a cooperative bank, authorized
by the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers before the war, soon may be
pushed to completion, Mr.. Wills said,
and steps taken to establish co0pera-
tive stores and distribution facilities
to supply members Of the brotherhood
with nccessaries Of life at = reasonable