The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1920-03-05
UNIONS To GIVE
U.s.. LAW TRY0UT
President Asks Roads and En-
pIoyees to Name Board.
TEST OF ACT IS POSTPONED
Labor Leaders Declare Men Are All
Good Americans and VIII Help
President in His Efforts to
See Justice Done.

Washington. March 3.-President
Wilson asked the railway executives
and employees to join in selecting rep
resentatiyes for bipartisan board
"for the purpose of attempting by con-
ference to agree" upon q solution or
the railway wage problem under sec
ton 3O1 Of the railroad bill.
In his letter to the employees Presi-
dent Wilson quoted from his communl-
cation to them of last Saturday, say
ing he believed such board w0uid
20 far toward maturing the wage dis
pute "for final disposition" and asked
that the brotherhOOds select such
numbers of representatives as may
seem appropriate" to conduct the con-
ference.
Both sides were requested by the
president to forward the names OF their
representatives to Director General
Hines, who, the letter said, would ar
range for the first conferences at
which questions of procedure and rep
resentatiOn which might arise could be
decided.
Reviews Wage Situation.
In his letter TO Mr.. Cuyler the presi-
dent reviewed the railway wage stu
alton from the presentation of the de-
mandS last August to the present time
and recalled that last month he had
told the union representatives that
settlement of these demands ought not
to be postponed for further indefinite
period and that the matter should be
handled by an agency which could con-
tinue to function after federal opera
ton of the roads ceased.
"Since the railroad companies have
now resumed the operation of their
properties and since the transportation
act has become a law" he said, ,"the
way is open for the immediate hand
ling of the wage matter in accordance
with procedure contemplated by that
law.
Il believe all will agree that the
matter calls for the earliest DISPOSE
ton and for the most active and earn
est cooperation to avoid any delay
whatever in bringing it to cOnclu-
sion. Section 301 of the transporta-
ton act cOnternplates that the carriers
and employees may and ought to Sc
lect representatives who will in effect
constitute bipartisan board for the
purpose OF attempting by conference
to agree upon solution Of wage
problems subject to other provisions
| of the law
I'm view of the generality of these
demands, affecting the railroad EN-
| plOyees on all the railroads which have
been under federal control and In view
of the manifest desirability and justice
of the earliest possible disposition of
the demands, / request that the rail-
road companies select such number
of representatives as may seem appro-
pirate to them to conduct the confer
ence and negotiations contemplated by
| section 301, to the end that such rep
resentatives may promptly meet in
conference with representatives select
ed by the employees in accordance
with the request / am making of them
| and may thus initiate the necessary
| proceedings"
| In his letter to the executives of the
labor organizations, the president
quoted from his communication to
them last Saturday upon signing the
railroad bill, in which he called atten-
ton to sections of the law providing
| for wage boards, and added:
| Il therefore request that your organ
ization select such number of repre-
sentatives as may seem appropriate to
them to conduct the conference and
negotiation contemplated by section
3O1, to the end that such representa-
tives may promptly meet in confer
ence with the representatives selected
by the railroad companies in accord
ance with the request l am making of
them and may thus initiate the neces-
sary proceedings
viii Give New Law Trial.
Representatives Of the railroad
unions are understood to have voted to
give the new railroad law trial In
bringing about settlement of their
wage demands.
1t is understood also that they de-
clded to hold in allegiance plans to test
the constitutionality of the law and
not to refer the controversy to the
union membership for vote ''until the
law has been given fair trial"
This means, it is said, that all dan
ger of general strike at this time has
been removed. One of the union Off
Gals said: 1--WE are all good Ameri-
cans and desire to 60 along with tbe