Norwich bulletin., 1920-02-24
Railroad Labor is
 Nursing Grievances
Passage of the Railroad Bill by the Senate Has Served to Add More Bitterness to the Talk of Leaders of the Un- ion Workers.

Washington, Feb. 23.-Rallroad laDOr is not satisfied with the way things are going with respect to it's wage de- mands. This was indicated in unrnis- takable manner in conferences here today of union officials and general committeeman, called to pass on the presidents settlement proposal. Pas sage of the railroad bill by the senate tonight only served to add more bit
 terness to the talk of the union work
 CTS.
 Arrival of scores of committee chairmen-the union leaders closest to the rank and f1eDef their membership brought out strike talk. The higher officers were inclined to discount this evidence of the workers feelings, hut hotel Hobbies where the delegates were quartered buzzed with the possibilities of the situation. There were indica- tions that the union heads who have
 dealt with Director General Hines in the controversy were worried lest all that has been accomplished might be wrecked. Committee chairmen spoke frankly of the sentiment in the local groups, describing 1t thus:
 Their temper is not such as to war rant us being optimistic"
 Union spokesmen believed there was no way to avoid a direct appeal to the
 president to veto the Cummins- -Esch
 measure. They declared it must be
 done to satisfy the workers who have not had "elose up'' of the situation. But as to hope that the legislation might yet be kicked overheard, there
 was little expression. Labor's appeal
 to congress having been rebuffed,
 some leaders were said to have as-
 stunned the attitude that the legislators
 were trying to see how far they can
 go by nagging us."
 Heated discussions marked all of the
 conferences of the fifteen organiza- tlons, which met separately. None was able to finish examination Of the docu-
 ments which were transmitted be-
 tween the union officials, the director
 general and the White House, as dele gates continued to insist on assai1ing the unfairness with which congress and the government generally has dealt with us" The presidents pro-
 posal-is by no means sure of accept ance by the unions. It drew attack from various angles, according to in formation which leaked out of the se- cret meetings. The gist of the strike talk, as ex- pressed by several influential union officers, was that the railroad organ 1 fzations have reason to assert their strength through walkout but it was deemed inadvisable, by them at least, to carry out such a program now. Put i ting 1t frankly, one leader declared that the action of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes and Shop Iaborers in issuing the recent strike call had hurt the workers cause 1 materially. He characterized that l sort of. thing as 'damning us in the eyes of ileapeople whom. we must have as our friends-those. who really have
 no direct interest except as they desire to see fair play"
 1 Leaders were confident of their 1 power to call a strike which would 1 successfully tie upaH means of trans | portation, but their attitude was that l peaceable means should be employed ! 1T possible. Those who sat through 1 the discussions with Director General Hines were especially desirous of ne- l gotiating as long as there was hope
 of success.
 Because of the dissatisfaction which nermeated all of the meetings, most of the individual organizations probably will not complete formulation of their views of the settlement pronosal for | severaldays. B. M. Jewell. actino l president of the railway emnIoves' de- pertinent of the American Federation or Labor, said the organizations un- ! der his leadership would not pet [ ,. M et5ll ociole NeuHeSdaV at the ear ] Hest. Conferences of the four broth 1 erhoods of operating employees may ! complete statement of their attitude i by tomorrow night.@
 The union officials who conducted ] the negotiations with MT. Hines were i called together tonight, but the nature
 of the conference was not revealed. It 1 was said however. that they took un ] consideration of the railroad leeisla-
 ton which the senate had acted on
 only few hours before.