Arizona republican., 1920-02-20
IRepubIican A. p. Leased WireI


 WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-Organizet railroad workers and union labor il general, holding the re-drafted rail- road reorganization bill to be destruc- tive of the employees constitutions privileges and liberties, tonight called on congress to defeat the measure ir it's entirety.
 Representatives of the 15 railroad unions, at the close of an all day conference, attended by President Gompers and Secretary Morrison of the American Federation of Labor. made public a memorial to congress en- bodying this declaration:
 Claim Bill CapitaIistic Measure
 The pending bill deprives citizens employed upon railways of the invio- late right to enjoy gains Of their own industry. The returns to capital are fixed upon an arbitrary basis, the rate which the public must pay and wages which labor must receive must ac- coTnmodate- themselves to this basis fixed for capital. This act makes the public and labor subservient to capital. For these reasons herein set forth and many others we request and respect fully urge that the bill be defeated in its entirety
 During the alI-day conference. in- formation was given out that Ieters of protest against the wage provisions of the bill would be sent to President Wilson and Director General Hines. Later it was decided to make the first fight in congress, and intimations were given that if defeated there, the work CTS then would carry the battle to the White House, hoping that the president might veto the legislation
 The memorial, addressed to the peo- pie of the United States as well as to the two houses of congress, declares that the bill in enunciating a principle ina ia1 raf1 ,f veStorS SubvertS the principles of American government. This provision the memorial holds, would constitute .-an abandonment of government for the common good, the establishment of government for private interest, special privilege and class benefits"
 Attack Arbitration Provisos
 Provisions of the measure for arbi- tration of disputes are attacked be- cause of the manner in which the special arbitration boards would De constituted and because of the way in which they would operate. The arbi- tration boards, including the perma- nent federal board of nine members might be so composed the memorial declares, as to eliminate labor from representation. Procedure of these boards, as set forth in the bill, the memorial states. would destroy all dis cipIine and lead to chaosp
 Attacking the railroad bill. section by section. the memorial declares first that the railroad employees expect just treatment and the continuation of their -unaGenable right to have an equal voice, representation and vote in any tribunal created by law or mutual agreement which is to establish the compensation we are to receive
 It then is charged that the pending bill violates the fundamental provisions of American government in the sec tions regulating the financial returns to investors, because particular and exclusive privileges" were conferred in guaranteeing dividends.
 This act denies to the public the benefit of competition" the memorial says. By this bill. the government which we have instituted for the com mon good is prostituted to establish the private interests of holders of rail- way securities as a class"
 The section creating a railroad labor