Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-20
WORKERS READY
To CARRY FIGHT
. To PRESIDENT
IF NECESSARY
Organized Labor in General
Lines Up to Make War on
the Railroad Reorganiza-
tiOn Bill Before Congress.
FINANCIAL CLAUSE
BITTERLY ASSAlLEO
At Least 2 Democratic Rep
reSentativeS Voice Their
Opposition to the Plan;
Hot Fight Is Anticipated.

icy MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiREl
Washington, Feb. 19.-Organized
railroad workers and union labor
in general, holding the re-drafted
railroad reorganization bill to be
destructive of the employees con-
stitutional privileges and liberties,
tonight, called on congress to de-
feat the measure in it's entirety.
Representatives of the fifteen
railroad unions at the close of an
all-day conference, attended by
President Gompers and Secretary
Morrison of the American Fedora
tion of Labor, made public me-
mortal to congress embodying this
declarations:
"The pending bill deprives citi-
Zens employed upon railways of the
inviolate right to enjoy gains of
I their own industry. The returns to
Jcapital are fixed upon an arbitrary
basis, the rate which the public
must pay and wages which labor
must receive must accommodate
themselves to this basis fixed for
capital This act makes the public
and labor subservient to capital.
For these reasons herein set forth
and many others we request and
respectfully urge that the bill be
defeated in its entirety"
During the all-day conference in
formation was given out that let
ters of protest against the wage
provisions of the bill would be sent
to President Wilson and Director
General Hines. Later it was decided
to make the first fight in congress,
and intimations were given that If
defeated there, the workers then
would carry the battle to the White
House, hoping that the president
night veto the legislation
The memorial, addressed to the
people of the United States as well
as to the two houses of congress,
declares that the bill IN enunciating
principle for basing the financial
return of investors suOverts the
principles of American government,
This provision, the memorial holds,
would constitute IAN abandonment
of government for the common
good, the establishment of govern
rnent for private interests, special
privilege and class benefits"
Provisions of the measure for
arbitration of disputes are attacked
because of the manner in which the
special arbitration boards would be
constituted and because of the way
in which they would operate. The
arbitration boards, including the
permanent federal board of nine
members, might be so composed,
the memorial declares, as to elimin-
ate labor from representation.
4 = n,N1g Ght
forth in the bill the memorial
states, would destroy all discipline
and lead to chaos"
While the labor representatives
were in session, Director General
Hines in conference with a COM
mittce of leading railroad eXecu-
tives received pledge of their CO.
operation in the establishment of a
committee of experts to gather data
bearing on the wage problem. The
executives expressed a desire that
solution OF, the wage problem be ex-
pedited and Mr.. Hines said that the
time and method of constituting the
committee of experts would be rec
commended to the president as soon
aas a conference with the railroad
union officials could be held.
Forecasting at least one aspect
of the final fight to be made on the
reorganization biIr IN the house,
Representative Barkley democrat
of Kentucky, filed late today a
statement of reasons for refusing
to join in approving the conference
compromise measure, which he at
tackled as comforting financial ia
vors' on the carriers that would