The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-24
WILSON WILL
NOT ACT SOON
ON R. R. BILL
Executive Directs That Meas
ure Go To Department of
J Justice-Labor is Up in
Arms.
REA ASKS LIBERAL PAY
(By Associated Press)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24-President
Wilson will not act Immediately on
the compromise railroad bill passed
yesterday by the senate. 1t was an
nounced at the white house today that
the president had directed that the
measure be referred to the depart
ment OF justice as soon as il reached
the white house from congress.
The executive has 10 days in which
TO pass upon the act before it can be-
come a law without his signature. II
is generally expected that he will be
urged by representatives of the rail-
road brotherhoods and by organized
labor generally, to veto the bill, be-
cause or It's labor and other provisions.
Labor May Break Yet.
Ihreats of break In the affiliated
railroad employees organizations mill
lated today against immediate solu-
tlon OF the questions before the rep
resentatlves of 100000 rail workers
conferr1ng here on President Wilson's
proposal for a settlement of their
settlement of their wage demands.
Because of wide divergence of
views held by the. committeeman
called to Washington to consider the
Whlte house policy, executives of the
organizations admitted that they did
not know whether they could hold the
strength they had gained when it was
agreed ten days ago that the organi-
cations should affiliate to consider the
proposal.
Ii every conference. it was said, de-
mands for an appeal to the president
to veto the railroad bill, continued to
grow more insistent. The leaders.
therefore, were confronted with the
task of explaining to the local chair
men the basic reason for their tenta-
tive acceptance of the Presidents
plan, while the latter were bitterly at
lacking the governments general pol
icy and the manner in which it had
dealt with the wage controversy.
Unions May Appeal
A direct appeal may be made by
the unions for a veto to prevent the
arbltrat1on provisions. to which they
object, going into effect. Several Of
Ulcers declared that such an appeal
was necessary to meet the unrest
among their membership.
Strike talk was open in the hotel
lobbles where the union men gather
ed, though by some of the higher Of
Tlcers, it was discountenanced While
claiming that a strike call would be
100 per cent effective, they expressed
belief that this was not the time for
such drastic measures, in view of pub
lie dlsapproval such course would
command.
President Wilson's proposal, discus
SEQ heatedly in secret meetings, may
not be accepted by the union men, ac-
cordlng to relia BILE information. MANY
documents bearing on the wage ques-
ton and the cost of living have been
circulated hptWPpn tho white
railroad administration and the COM
mlttee meetings of the fifteen rail-
road unions
None OF the unions expected to fin
ish consideration of the question be-
fore tonight, while number proba bly,
will require tomorrow also to formu-
late their reply.
PHILADELPHIA - Samuel Rea.
president of the Pennsylvania rail-
road, in statement today said the
passage of the railroad bill is bene-
ficial to the country because it has
been removed from a political discus
sion that increased public unrest and
uncertainty.
I'VE will do all in our power" he
said, ITO make the bill a decidedly
constructive measure in practice and
beneficial to the public. the EMPLOYERS
and the owners of railroad securities
But the main responsibility for its
success rests on the interstate COM
rce\commission in fixing a fair val
uation of the railroads and having lib
eral views on railroad compensation,
and above all in assuring that railroad
credit is kept so sound, through reas-
enable earnings, that new capital for
their expansion will be available at all
times and that railroad expansion can
precede business demands, and its
lack not be an obstacle to future prog
reSS."