Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-02-11
Director General Hines is to Reply to Virtual Wage
 lIltimatum TRAINMEN PROPOSE TO CANCEL CONTRACT Formal Notice of ShOpmen's Inten- ton to Quit LabOrs Feb. " May Force Action in New
 Crisis

Washington, Feb. l0.-The railroad administration, nearing the end of it's control over the nations rail transportation systems, tonight faced a critical situation with respect to the wage demadns of more than two million employees. Conferences to- morrow between Director General Hines and leaders of the workers unions, probably will determine the outcome of the situation
 Officials of the unions submitted to the Director General at today's meetings new statement which served to open up all important ques- tons, on which the two sides were at variance, and will require fur ther discussion before settlement can be reached. MT. Hines said he would reply tomorrow.
 Meanwhile, w. c. Lee, president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Train men, was pressing MT. Hines for an answer to the demands of his indi- vdual organization and insisting the trainmen were ready to strike unless satisfactory settlement was reach cd. Railroad administration officials also received informal notice that they must contend with strike call i ed by the Brotherhood of Mainte- nance of Way Employees and Shop 1 Laborers.
 1 Further than admitting that he had given the railroad administration the i required 30 days notice of intention to cancel the present wage contract on February 23, MT. Lee declined to i discuss the plans of his organization. The strike vote taken under his in structions, was said to show large majority favoring strike.
 Division Reported.
 l This last phase of the situation was giving railroad administration officials concern because, should the trainmen walk out, an almost complete tie-up of traffic could be \ the only result. The thousands of
 engineers, firemen and conductors could not operate the trains, for in
 many states they would be forbid
 den to work under full crew" laws unless all trainmen required were on
 duty, it was explained. Union by
 laws also prohibit other employees
 from taking out trains not manned
 by the regulation number of brake
 men,
 T Officials of the other three train- operating unions were. declared not to be supporting MT. Lee aggressive |, ly in his demands, altho he was said l to have communicated with each of , them before notifying Mir. Hines of : his intention to cancel the wage agreement. The communication ot , the trainmen's president was said to
 have been merely request for a
 statement from the other unions as
 to their objections if any, to the
 proposed action. The leaders are
 understood to have replied they had
 no objection, but declined to commit themselves as to supporting the pro posed move.
 ! The action of President Barker ot : the maintenance of way employes : was declared again by railroad ad' 3 ministration officials to be in viola. ton of his wage agreement. It wal y said Mir Barker had signed thu e agreement only last November 22 [ and that it had gone into effect De ? cembcr 16. A search of the files 1T ,. Mir. Hines office was declared t : have revealed no communication can !. ceiling the agreement with the gov
 ernment. MT. Barker and 3 commit
 tee of 10 are expected to reacl
 Washington tomorrow to attend tn
 conference of union leaders with MT
 Hines. s