The Washington times., 1920-08-03
DIEM MEN
AGREE TOWA|T
Unionized Section Will Postpone
Action Until August
Twenty.
WILSON MAY INTERVENE
Word From White House to
Settle Difficulties Expected
BY Both Sides.
WILSON MAY INTERVENE

New developments in the District
wage controversy today strongly in
dicated it would be unlikely that per
diem employees, when they gather at
1906 M street northwest tonight, will
declare a strike.
The action of Local 80 of the Fed
eral Employees Union, an organiza-
ton of municipal employees affiliated
with the American Federation OF
Labor, in agreeing to postpone ac-
ton until August 20. when the Dis
trict Commissioners promise they
will review the wage scale, has ma
terially altered the situation.
NAY CALL OFF VOTE.
Leaders of the City Employees As
ISOLATION today admitted they very
seriously are reconsidering their
plans for calling a strike vote to-
night.
mittec of the association. headed by
Joseph II. Hurley. president. were
in conference all this morning with
Rowland B. Mahany, Acting Secretary
of Labor, and John Il. Colpoys and
Walter D. Davidge, labor concilators.
Every effort is being made by the
conciliators to get postponement or
strike action. Up until a late hour to-
day, the conference at the Labor De-
partment was still on, with no state
ments forthcoming from either side.
AGAIN REFUSE ARBITRATION.
The District Commissioners today
turned down a second suggestion OF
Department of Labor conciliators for
@ nh
an arbitration board of three citizens
be named and that this board be
given powers only to reccomend
action. subject to approval of the
Commissioners. The Commissioners
replied they would adhere to their
announced intention until August 20,
when they will review the wage scale.
A committee of workers affiliated
| with the Federal Employees Union
called upon Commissioners Brownlow
and Kutz. The committee, headed by
| George A. Howe, acting president of
| the organization, presented to the
| Commissioners a letter from the as
| sociation.
The letter made it clear that this
organization was willing to postpone
all further action until August 20.
| stating 1--WE are glad to note your
| statement. published today. that you
VIII reNle" tne I'lstTlCt wage sCdIe
after the Navy Department Wage
Board has reported, on August 90"
DON'T WANT TO STRIKE.
Acting President Howe said today
members of the Federal Employees
| Union do not want a strike. Our
union is opposed to strikes by Gov
ernment employees. and We are bound
by our constitution not to support
| any such said Howe. Moreover, in
| this case there Is another way out,
| as we see It,.
Both sides in the wage dispute are
looking to President Wilson this af
| ternoon to take some action which
might permanently settle the differ
ences. Mahany admitted today he
was considering taking the case to
the White House. Up until a late
| hour today he had reached no de-
cision on the matter
The action OF the Local No. so, II
was learned today. was taken upon
the advice of national officers OF the
organization. The local body was In
structed to accept the commissioners
promise to review the wage scale on
August 20.
START ANTI-sTRII<E MOVE.
Until the letter OF the Federal En-
ployes' branch was made public there
was lttle nope OF HNeTtlHB sirIhe
of District employees. This action
places the City Employees Associa-
tion in peculiar position. and
threatens them with the loss OF pub
lie sympathy.
1t was pointed out today that the
public would not look with favor
upon an organization that did not
wait until all means OF settlement
had been exhausted before striking.
81 .xI.s
this association believes the per diem
men still have chance OF getting a
pay raise In the near future.
II IL expected a meeting OF the exc
cutivc committee OF the City EN-
ployes' Association Will be held this
afternoon to reach decision on what
action to recommend to the mon
when they meet tonight. They are
CONTINUED on Page IL. Column ~