Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-13
Shop LaborerS Will Be Salts
fled With Any Fair Propo-
sition" Put.Forward by Will
son, Barker Asserts.
MEN WANT, HOWEVER,
DEFINITE ASSURANCES
Either President Must Reduce
High Cost of Living Immedi-
ate|y or Increased Pay Must
Be Granted, Their Viewpoint.

Detroit, Feb. l2-Any 'fair prop
c>ition" put forward by President
Wilson in the railway wage contro-
verSy will receive the serious con-
siderator OF officers OF the Broth
erhood OF Maintenance OF Way and
Railway Shop Laborers, it was an
nounCed at headquarters here to-
night The statement was also at
tributed to President Allen +. Bar
ker that more conciliatory atti-
tude would be adopted with Presi-
dent Wilson, if the president re-
opened negotiations with the main
tenance of way men, who have been
ordered on strike next Tuesday.
I'VE will try to do the right
thing. as we always have. with the
PRESIDENT Mr.. Barker said. IF he
puts forward any fair proposition
we will accept it. We only ask
square deal"
Mr.. Barker declined to say wheth-
er he would hold up the strike in
event the president wished more
time to consider the matter. He
also declined to discuss report
that he had been asked if he would
call off the strike if a wage tribunal
were appointed. No such proposal
had yet been made, it was said.
III the railway mems demands
are rejected" Mr.. Barker said, they
will undoubtedly act unit Two
OF the brotherhoods have moved. |
1Nu-
hang back. ] believe the shop crafts
will be the next to back us up
Definite Assurances Asked.
Washington. Feb. l2.-President
Wilson will be asked tomorrow by
spokesmen for the more than 2,000,-
OOO railroad employees that definite
assurances be given OF an immedi-
ate reduction in the cost of living,
leaders in the wage negotiations de
clared tonight. AS an alternative tha
union representative will claim in
creased wages, demands for which
were not pressed at Mr. Wilson's re-
quest last summer.
( Representatives of the workers. it
was intimated tonight, base their
hope for higher wages largely on
the increase in the cost of living
since the last general wage increase
in 1918. The cost of living question
while always to the fore in the ne
gotiatons which, the union men have
had with Director General Hines
will be employed to the full extent
OF the unions power in the confer
ence with the president. it was indi-
Gated
There was unmistakable evidence
tonight among the union officials of
fear that the president would re-
fuse to grant their wage demands.
A few said frankly they could see
no hope of a settlement favorable
to them. Their view seemed to
have been based on the arguments
offered in rebuttal by Mr. Hines, as
the union leaders presented new
claims or proposals.
Hines Makes Suggestions.
Director General Hines, in trans
mitting data on the controversy to
Mr. Wilson today, was understood
to have made Suggestions" rela-
tive to final disposition of the
problems.
The director general. in his con-
ference with the union heads, told
them that he could not grant their
demands because of the early termi-
nation of federal control, and ex-
planned federal legislation was ex-
pected to set up machinery to pro-
vide impartial and unbiased" han
ding of the wage claim. The union
argument to this was that they were
thus compelled to face another de-
lay with no assurances OF relief.