Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-15
WILL WAIT ON
OUTCOME OF
CONFERENCE
President of Maintenance OF
Way Employees and Railroad
Shop Laborers HaIts Walk
out on Request of Wilson.
RAIL WAY Committeeman
WILL MEET FEBRUARY 22
To Decide Whether Demands
For Increased Pay Shall Be
Pressed on Government or
Passed to Rail Corporations.

Passed to Rail Corporations.
Detroit, Feb. 14.-The strike oi
100000 members of the Brother
hood of Maintenance of Way En-
ployes and Railway Shop Laborers,
set for next Tuesday. was tonight in
definitely postponed by Allen f.
Barker, International president OF
the union, i'll accordance with the
request of President Wilson that
action be delayed until after the
general conference of railway union
on February q.
Notice of the decision to post
pone the strike was communicated
to Director General Hines by Mr..
Barker in the following message:
an compliance with recommenda-
tons of the committee of the broth
crhood. now at Washington, | am
indefinitely postponing the strike
order which was to have become
effective Tuesday morning, Febru-
ary II. However, | am confirmed
in my belief that strike action would
have been eminently justified to
force favorable action on the wage
demands of the men for whom !
speak. 1t is evident our committe,
did not desire that the Maintenanc,
of Way Brotherhood should b.
driven into position seemingly
forgetful of the public interest dut
to unfrieudly interests including tn,
avenues of information by which thu
public can be reached, the peopl.
being ignorant of actual condition.
among these railway workers. J
desire to impress upon you with all
the force at my command the abso
lutte necessity of relief for our mem.
bers Immediately if a most seriou.
from which there will be
no retreat is to be avoided.
Messages Sent Out.
The telegram to the membership
postponirg the strike was sent ou'
tonight to the approximately 5000
local secretaries of the brotherhood
In it President Barker briefly re.
views events leading up to the is.
suance of the strike order and the
sending of the executive committee
to Washington. This committee, the
telegram said, after consulting with
high officials "who are true friends
of the railway workers" recommends
ed that action be postponed.
A special convention, Mr.. Barker
said, might be called to deal with
the wage controversy. He was not
to say whether the execu-
tive committee would join the other
railway brotherhoods in the Wash
irgton conference.
The strike order was issued last
after failure of union repre-
to reach an agreement
with the railway administration in
wage negotiations begun last sum-
mer. .s
The men had demanded increases
amounting to approximately 40 per
cent. the greater increase to go to
the lower paid workers.
Referred to Conference.
Washington, Feb. 14.-The rail.
road wage controversy was referred
today to a general conference OF
union committeeman called to meet
here February %, for final decision
As to whether the demands for in-
creased pay will be pressed on the
government or passed on to the rail.
road corporations, soon to resume
control OF their properties.
Representatives OF IA unions, whd
1ave been comforting with Director
General Hines since, February 3,
and whose spokesmen laid their
;lains before President Wilson yes
-erday have tentatively accepted the
White House proposal for tribu-
na'. created either by law or on the
presidents motion, to consider TIE
demands. Final word must come.
however, from higher union author
ty. the conference OF union heads.
Assurance was given the union
officials by the president in his
that he would provide ma
for dealing comprehensively
with their claims; he proposed the
naming OF commission of wage
experts to begin the compilation
OF data bearing on the controversy.
The president said he was certain
it is apparent to all reasonable men
and women that these momentous
questions must be dealt with by an
agency which can continue to func-
ton after March l."
Steps Wilson Contemplates.
Il wish, therefore" he said. TO
to all railroad employees
at this time that | propose to carry
out the following steps:
81. 1n the event that in connec-
ton with the return to private con-
troll provision shall be made BY
aw for machinery for dealing with
railroad wage matters | shall
promptly use my influence and so far
IS such law confers power upon me,
shall promptly exercise that pow
er to bring about the, earliest prac-
jcable organization of the ma
,hi0cry thus provided.
-, In the seyent that no such
provision is made by law for dealing
With these matters. | shall employ