Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-02-13
PRESIDENT WILSON
To CONFER WITH
RAIL UNION CHIEFS
Settlement Of Controversy,
Without Strike, Is Expect
ed by Officials in Wash
ington

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-Presi-
dent Wilson will have personal
conference tomorrow with three rep
resentatives of the railroad brother
hoods to discuss the wage demands
Of the 100000 railroad employees
which are to be referred to him to-
day by Director General Hines.
Bert M. Jewell, head Of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, railway de-
partment, was named chairman of
the committee of three to meet Pres
ident Wilson.
Other members Of the committee
are: j. E. Manion, Of the Railway
Telegraphers and Timothy Shea,
head Of the firemen and enginemen.
70 Meet on South Lawn
The union leaders will see the
president on the south lawn at the
White House, where Mr.. Wilson
spends portion of each morning.
Before meeting the brotherhood ofri-
Gals the president will study in de-
tail the report on the wage negotia-
tions which Mr.. Hines, will submit
through Secretary Tumulty.
The director general was in, con-
ference with Mr.. Tumulty this
morning, and then returned to his
office to complete his memorandum
for the president, who will be asked
to make the final decision on the de-
mands presented by the railroad
workers nearly a year ago.
Hines Memorandum
Mr.. Hines memorandum, which
| was sent to the White House shortly
| before noon, was understood to have
| embodied the claims and arguments
| Of the union officials with whom he
has been comforting since February 8.
Railroad administration officials
and union representatives apparently
| were inclined to regard the situation
| as qutescent while White House off,
Gals expressed concern at the gray
| ity of the problems presented. With
| out disclosing what these questions
were, it was declared the general pub
| lie did not realize the serious nature
Of issues involved.
] Mr.. Hines has made a tentative
| appointment for this afternoon with
j. B. Malloy, vice president of the
| brotherhood OF maintenance of way
employees and shop laborers and his
] committee of ten, to discuss the or
j ganization's alleged grievances which
led to it's call for strike next Tues
day.
Administration officials were en-
gagged today in resurrecting all
claims submitted by this group of
| workers before it's wage agreement
was signed last November %. The
agreement shows 1t became effective
/ "a ri Il
they have not been formally notified
OF an abrogation of the agreement
which provides that a 30-day notice
Of cancellation must be given.
ohioials Concerned
| w. G. Lee, president of the broth
erhood Of railroad trainmen, also
was to confer with the director gen
eral on his individual reasons for in
validating the agreement which his
organization has. Notification Of in
tention to break the agreement was
| given Mr.. Hines January 23, which,
under the thirty-day clause, will
leave that organization without a
working contract with the railroad
administration on February %, six
days before the roads return to their
owner.
4ne actlon OF Mr.. Lee admittedly
Is giving administration officials con-
Germ. While his representatives have
participated in all sessions of the
general conference, Mr.. Lee contend
ed his organization had reserved the
right to press it's grievances for adj
Justment separately. He declined to
add to his statement of yesterday
which asserted the trainmen had
waited sufficiently long for the gov
eminent to force down living costs.
,a Optimistic View
>, Just how much time the president
Will require in considering the state
ments is problematical, but 1t was
believed 1t would be, short. Whether
ne upholds the Views of Director
General Hines or decides that the de-
mands of the employees are just and
should be granted, the opinion was
expressed that settlement finally
Will be made through the machinery
to be set up by legislation now pend
ing which will govern the return OF
the rail. properties to their former
owners. s.1