New-York tribune., 1920-06-24
Wilson Asks
Rail Board for
Quick: Decision
President Acts After Being
Told Strike Situation
Will Be Much Worse
When Awards Are Made
Labor States Its Case
Declares Appeals Have
Been Made Repeatedly
But No Results Gained

from 1he 1rtbunes Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, June 23.-Pres;dent
wilson has sent message to the Rail
road Labor Board in Chicago urging it
to hasten its decision on the wage de-
mands of railroad workers in an effort
to check the spread of insurgent
strikes, it was learned to-day. The
text of the message was withheld.
The President acted after the situa-
tion was put before him yesterday by
John Barton Payne, Secretary of the
Interior. Mr.. Payne conferred again
to-day with w. N. Doak. vice president
of the Brotherhood of Railroad Train
men. Doak later called at the White
House, where, it is understood, he in
formed Secretary Tumulty that the
strike situation is more menacing.
Doak said the cause of unrest among
the men and their refusal to work is
the delay in adjusting their wages.
Requests for increases, he said, have
been pending for more than year.
Board Is Criticized
Doak predicted that if there is not
settlement before the end of the week
conditions would be much worse, and
said that the only way transportation
would be kept normal was for the men
to receive substantial pay increases.
He characterized as "a rank and hope
less failure" the method Of adjusting
disputes through the Railroad Labor
Board, a tribunal created by the new
transportation act, representing the
public, workers and employers, but
with no mandatory powers.
"The organizations have already had
to go to three different boards and
none Of them would meet the stua-
tion," said Doak. "The present board
has had the requests of the men for
more than two months, and at the
time of its formation had already
available all the data necessary to
make an award, but instead of doing
same questions which had been passed
on by the other boards.
The board has no reasonable or
legitimate excuse for not granting sub
stantial increases in wages to railroad
employees, and there can be no escape
from the conclusion that the board,
now sitting in Chicago is wholly re-
aNOnsble for the present bad situation.
"The chiefs of the brotherhoods now
are considering means to assist in
every manner in bringing this sltua
tion to a speedy conclusion and start
the wheels of transportation. but know
full we'll that these men must first be
given substantial increases in pay be-
fore such can be accomplished. They
hope to have settlement by the end
of the present week. If not, the situa
ton probably will be much worse than
at present
"Appeals have gone up from all
parts of the country to the Labor
Board to do something, and we desire
+he public to know that this much
hcralded and advocated method Of ad-
justing questions of this character, ac-
cording TO the present indication, is
rank and hopeless failure
Unions Have Been Patient
Secretary of Labor Wilson issued a
statement pointing out the need for
an early decision from the Labor
Board, in which ne said:
1T is now more than year since
the railway brotherhoods took up with
the railway management the question
of increasing wages to meet the cost
of living. They have been extremely
patient under manifold difficulties, and
their officials have displayed splendid
courage and a high appreciation Of
the public welfare in their efforts to
restrain the growing uneasiness of
their membership due to the prolonged
consideration of their demands without
a decision being arrived at.
ut would be great victory Cor the
workmcn and for their official spokcs-
men if they continued to exercise the
same patience and the same courage
until the Railway Labor Board has
reached q decision, which everybody
hopes Will be at an early date. The
Railway Labor Board has had big
task to perform, yet it can render no
better public service in the existing
situation than by coming TO a speedy
determination of the questions at
issue before it,"
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