New-York tribune., 1920-02-25
Memorial Will Be Sent 10
President To-day Ask
ing He Withhold APP
prOval for Brief of Men
Financial Sections
Assailed by Labor
Legislation Is Held Unfair
to Taxpayers and Added
Burden on Government

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.-Rail-
road labor decided tonight to ask
President Wilson to veto the rail-
road reorganization bill:
In memorial to be submitted,
probably late tomorrow, the repre-
sentatives of the 100000 union
workers will request the President
to withhold his signature from the
measure until they can present a
brief of their reasons why it should
not have Executive approval. An
nouncement of the union decision
was made by B. M. Jewell, acting
president of the railway employees
department, American Federation
of Labor, who, with E. J. Manion,
president of the order of Railroad
Telegraphers, and Timothy Shea,
acting president of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Firemen and Engine
men, will draft the communication.
Plan Finish Fight
Knowledge Of the Presidents in
tention to have Attorney General
Palmer pass on the validity Of the
reorganization measure did not deter
the union leaders from their deter
mined course Of action. Their claims
of inequity against the legislation
were explained to be aside from any
question of the validity Of the bill,
and they therefore purposed to carry
the opposition through to the finish
The next step in the union program,
which will not be developed definitely
unless the bill is approved, is to tes.
the constitutonality of the law Varl-
Gus methods of bringing this about
were suggested, but all will be held in
allegiance pending the Presidents aa~
ton
Decision Reached Suddenly
Decision of the union officials 70
present their views to Mr.. Wilson was
reached suddenly. There had been in
sistent clamoring for such action by
many of the local committee men.
called here to discuss the Presidents
wage settlement proposal. The course
was not decided on, however, it was
said, until it appeared no other plan
would be generally accepted by the
rank and file. The sentiment among
the chairmen appeared almost unani-
nous In favor of formal presentation
OF the case to the President.
Labor provisions of the bill admit
tedly Will be the most bitterly assailed
by the unions, but the plan also con-
templates attack on the financial see
tlons, which labor holds to be unfair
to the taxpayers and a burden on the
government" The dividend provision
of the law also will come in for con-
demnation, it was indicated.
Would Exclude Public
AS result of the decision to ask
for Presidential veto. consideration Of
the proposal for settlement OF the COR
troversy submitted by the President
and Director General Hines will be
largely perfunctory at to-morrow's
meetings OF the labor representatives. Z
Many of the delegates and some of the
general chalrmen planned tonight to
leave Washington immediately.
There remains for consideration,
however, the question as to whether
the unions will join in the selection Of
" .oiiiiil ooioH VI experts TO Degln gath
ering of data on wages and working
conditions for submission to the
tribunal created by the railroad bill.
This question reopens the whole cate
CORY of objections to the bill and. II
was asserted, could be construed as
meaning the unions would accept that
portion of the legislation. The unions
attitude on the tipartite wage hand
ling machinery was declared to be one
Of unalterable opposition. They pre-
fer to deal directly with the railroad
corporations rather than have the pub
lie as third party engaged in the con-
troversy, it was explained.
lnterunlon controversies also were
rrmored to-day about union meeting
places. Several of the Individual
groups which had entered into the
agreement of all fifteen organizations
to stand together in the wage fight
were described as getting nervous"
about their obligations under the affil;-
ated arrangement. But DEVELOPMENTS
tonight indicated these differences
would be patched up and the solidarity
of railroad labor maintained.
President Wilson was asked to-dar
by George P. Hampton, managing dis
rector of the Farmers National Coun,
Gil to veto the railroad bill on the
grounds of public policy