The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-02-14
WAGE MEETING
ON FEBRUARY %
Railroad Union Officials to Gather in
Washington to Discuss Sal
aries of Workers
Ect

iIUnited Press Leased Wire Service
/ WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-At the
request Of President Wilson, railroad
union officials will meet here Feb
% to discuss wage conditions.
This was learned today when the
white house made public the cores
pondence between President Wilson
and union officials with regards to
wage demands.
! The union men today delivered their
reply to President Wilson. -
with a full realization of our res
iponsibilities," their letter said, we
have decided to submit to our consti-
tuencies the advisability of the crea-
ton of a special joint commission
composed Of an equal number of repre-
sentatiyes selected by the railroad
companies and the railroad labor or
carnations signatory hereto by agree
ment and vested with full authority to
deal with this particular controversy
on the basis of the following princi-
pies:
Rates OF pay for similar or analog-
GUS services in other industries.
Relation of rates of pay to the in
creased cost of living. ....
"a basic minimum living wage suf-
ficient to maintain a railroad mans
average family upon standard of
health and reasonable comfort.
"That differentials above this mini
mum living wage be established CIV
ing among other things due regard to
the skill required, responsibility as.
sumed and hazard incurred; decision
of this tribunal to be handed down
within sixty days after agreement to
establish It.. and to be final and bind
ing upon all railroads in the United
States and employees whom we repre-
sent.
"In compliance with your request
that we submit your message and Its
enclosure to the memberships we have
issued a call for the necessary repre-
sentatives of the organizations to
meet In Washington, D. c.. Feb. %,
when Your letter of Feb. 10 and en-
closure together with the above pro-
posal will be presented to them for
consideration and determination.
Pending this action on our part. we
respectfully request that you take
necessary steps to place this proposal
before the executives Of the railway
companies anu SSCulC IACII ShGi CClitC1b
thereto so that when our representa-
tives convene on Feb. 90, we will be
able to place before them definite
basis for final action"
Special Tribunal.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-Railroad
union leaders today accepted pro-
posal Of President Wilson that he Gre
ate special tribunal to deal with the
wage problem.
In communication handed the
president the union leaders announc-
ed that representatives of all the rail-
road organizations involved would con-
vene here Feb. % to consider the pro-
posal They asked the president to
take up the proposition with the rail-
road executives and secure their agree
ment thereto so that when our rep
convene on Feb. % we
will be able to place before them a
definite basis for final action.
The president in his letter to the
railroad men made three proposals.
They were:
That If the railroad reorganization
bill now III congress created arbitra-
ton machinery, he would use his in
fluence to see that such machinery
was promptly organized and put to