Evening star., 1920-02-29
Tells Brotherhoods Way Is
Open for Action on
Wage Matter.
WILL SEEK FORMATION
OF BIPARTISAN BOARD
Renlies 70 0h;anfions Raised to
Replies to Objections Raised to
Having Public a Party to
Salary Settlement.

In a letter to the railroad brother
hoods. replying to their request that
he appoint commission of employ
ers and workers to consider wage de-
mands. President Wilson last night
said he would at once request the car
riers and employees to join in such
action, as contemplated in section 301
Of the compromise railroad bill.
Though under the terms of the bill
this Bipartisan board" is only
charged with the settlement OF dis
putes. the President said such board
would go far toward clarifying and
maturing the subject for final dispo-
sition. The question Of wages Is also
expected to come before the railroad
labor board, created by section 307 of
the bill board on which the repre-
sentatives will form the third group.
The President goes to some length
to answer the objections raised by the
brotherhood representatives to hav-
ing the public party in wage set
Elements and says he does not believe
the members of the public group will
be against wage increases because
they involve rate increases. His let
ter does not make any direct refer
ence to the memorial Of the unions
which asked that he veto the railroad
bill.
Explains His Delay.
/ In explaining his delay in answer
ing them, Mr.. Wilson said tho pas
eaEe of the railroad bill made it evil
dent that I could not act on your
suggestion until 1t should have been
determined whether the bill would be-
come a law or not"
1T was manifest" the letter con-
tinued. that II the bill should become
a law the negotiations and consider
alton of tho wage matter ought to
proceed in harmony Herewith.
The bill having now become law,
the way fs open for innusedtats ection
on the wage matter In accofdance
with the terms Of the bill. Seeton
isei OF the bill evidently csneefnpaates
that the carriers and employees should.
as suggested by you. select repre-
sentatives who will thus constitute
a bipartisan board for the purpose
Of attempting by conference to agree
upon a solution Of this wage problem.
I'm accordance with the assurance
I gave last August and repeated in
substance in my letter Of the 18th
instant, I shall at once request tho
carriers and the employees to Join in
this action. believe such step
will go far toward clarifying and
maturing tho subject for final dis
position. In fact, tho sort Of board
thus contemplated by section sol ap-
pears to be an appropriate substitute
for the committee of experts which I
have heretofore suggested, and, in
deed, such a board will be author
lied to 60 further than such a COM
mittee could have gone.
Can Make Great Progress.
while it is true that the provisions
Of section 3o7 Of the railroad bill, re-
lating to the labor board, will prob
ably also come into operation as to
this wage matter. nevertheless tho
bipartisan board can make a great
deal Of progress. which will material
ly diminish the time to be consumed
by the labor board; and while the BIZ
partisan board is functioning, the ap-
pointment and organization Of the Ia
Dor board can be expedited.
II cannot share the apprehension of
yourselves and your constituents as
to tho provisions Of tho law concern
ing the labor board. believe those
provisions are not only appropriate
in the interest of the public, which,
after all is principally composed of
workers and their families, but will
be found to be particularly in tho in
terest of railroad employees as a class.
THE argument that the public rep
resentatives on the labor board will
be prejudiced against labor because