Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1920-02-11
Allen E. Barker, Head Of Brotherhood,
Declares Cost Of LYING Continues
to Soar and Administration viii
Not Act Until Forced To.


body of labor representatives.
Washington, Feb. 11.-White house
and railroad administration officials
regard "as most serious" the railroad
situation precipitated by the orders
for d strike February II. issued by
officers Of the Brotherhood of Main
tenance of Way Employees and Shop
LabOrers.
Secretary Tumulty will see Presi-
dent Wilson to lay before him the mat
fer, emphasizing the possibility that
this strike may be the opening wedge
fora general strike of all railroad en-
ployees should the wage demands be
Z refused by Directors General Hines at
his conference with union officials now
IN progress.
Mr.. Hines is understood I'd have con-
ferred with Secretary Tumulty for
more than. three hours, outlining the
situation for presentation to the presi-
dent
May Refuse Plea for Increase.
1t is generally believed here that
Directors General Hines will go before
the representatives Of the 2,O0OOOO
railroad workers and inform them
that their wage increase demands can
not be granted. He is willing to go
I no further, it is understood, than to
adjust alleged inequalities in wages.
The employees representatives are
expected to come forward with a new
proposition for the settlement Of their
case, but none of them would discuss
their plans prior TO the conference,
which is expected to end the negotia-
tons.
The director-general is understood
to hold the opinion that it would be
inadvisable for the railroad admins
tIation to order a general wage in
crease in view of the return of the
lines to their private owners in less
than three weeks. He is also said to
believe that higher freight and passen-
80 rates would inevitably follow an
Increase In wages.
Go Ahead With Strike Plans.
Detroit, Mich, Feb. 1l--Executiv
officers Of the United Brotherhood OF
Maintenance of Way Employees and
Shop Laborers are going ahead with
strike plans, while a committee OF
heads of various divisions Of the union
is on the way to Washington, where
it will make final effort, If called in
to conference by irector-General
Hines. to avert the walkout on Feb.
II of nearly 100000 railway workers.
Allen Il. Barker, president Of the
brotherhood, would make no state
ment in reply to the assertion by Mr..
Hines that the strike call violated the
unions wage agreement, but he re-
called that strike was voted last
fall. set, for Nov. /, and that it had
been twice postponed since then i'm
the hope that an agreement might be
reached on q new wage scale, or that
the government might be able to re-.
- 49, - 1850. - living.
uuce tue cost -
"The cost of living continues u
RISE Mr.. Barker said. "And we are
convinced that the railroad admins
tration does not intend to grant In
creases In wages unless forced to do
so. 1t is ridiculous to think that the
government employing these American
laborers who. are raising American
families would force them to work for
an average of 30 cents an hour, while
the same class of laborers throughout
the country employed elsewhere are
making up to 81 an hour and while
many railroads are bringing Mexican
laborers into this country and paying
them 25 to 40 per cent more than the
men affected by this strike call.
ave are determined to have fair
Increases now"
The men involved are all employed
on American roads, although the union
has a membership of $4,000 in Canada.