Arizona republican., 1920-02-15
Unions Tentatively Accept
 Presidents Tribunal Plan
Will Use Influence of Executive Bring About Satifac tory Adjustment of All Wage Demands, He
 Informs Representatives
RAILWAY MEN MEET FEB. 23 FOR DECISION
Union Heads Must Finally Determine Action to Be Taken On Proposal - Workers Draft Set of Principles
 To Be Acted Upon

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The rail- road wage controversy was referred today to general conference of union committeeman, called to meet her February 2s, for final decision as to whether the demands for increased pay will be pressed on the government or passed on to the railroad corpora tions, soon to resume control of their properties.
 Acceptance Only Tentative
 Representatives of the fl unions, who have been coiferring with Direc- tor General Hines since February 8 and whose spokesmen laid their claims before President Wilson yesterday. have tentatively accepted the White House proposal for tribunal, created either by law or on the presidents s motion, to consider the demands Final word must come, however, from higher union authority, the conference of union heads.
 While union leaders feared the effect of further delay on their membership, the possibility of a general strike ap- peared more remote tonight Officials of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and Shop Laborers did not sign the letter accepting MT. Will sons proposal, but their strike, set for next Tuesday, was called off after the president had sent telegram to MT. Parker calling upon him to withdraw iic OIQcf ana to make SuCG that no interruption to transportation occurs"
 MT. Wilson said he felt sure that the officials of the maintenance of way union would realize that you cannot in justice to your membership and the citizens generally of the United States persist in a course which is opposed to your obvious duty to the country
 Wilson's Message
 Tho al7.o-e.<3 to MT. Barker at Detroit follows:
 Yesterday, I addressed to the chief executives of the principal railroad labor organizations, including the one oI which you are president, message, q copy of which has been transmitted to you at Detroit I have just received a response indicating the purpose of the organizations generally to conform to the principles of my messa ge, to bring it to the attention of the mem bership and to hold a convention here on February 2 for the purpose of carrying the matter into effect 1 note with surprise and disappointment that your organization is the only one ad dressed which has not expressed itself concurrence in this method of handling the matter and understand that no advice has yet been received of with drawal of your strike order which was sent out several days ago.
 me QITeCIOT general or TaIiTOaQS explained this situation to your com mittee as soon as it presented to him and he has since summarized the posi- ton of the government in a message to you which I fully indorse. I ask you to take at once the necessary steps to withdraw the strike order and to make sure that no interruption what ever to transportation occurs on that account in this critical period. I feel sure that you and your associates, upon full consideration, will realize that you cannot. in justice to your member ship and the citizens generally of the United States, persist in a course which is opposed to your obvious duty to the country to the direct and specific re- quest of the government and also to the attitude of all other railroad labor orga nizations, all for the mere purpose of objecting to the procedure I have proposed. which is the only practical method of obtaining prompt and req soDable settlement of the important wage questions now pending. I also ask you to send my message and its in closure to all your members and give them the opportunity of cooperating H ith all the rest of railroad labor in handling the matter.
 fSigned) WOODROW WILSON,
 Plans Wage Commission
 Assurance was given the union of ficiaIs by the president in his proposal that he would provide machinery for dealing comprchensively with their ciaims: he proposed the naming of a commission of wage experts to begin the compilation of data hearing on the controversy. The president said he was certain .'it is apparent to all reason able men and women that these momentous questions must he dealt with by an agency which can continue to function after March 1.''
 T wish, therefore he said "to an- nounce to all railroad employees at this time that I propose to carry out the following steps:
 Pledges Aid To Workers
 In the event that in connection with the return to private control pro- visions shall be made by law for ma chinery for dealing with railroad wage matters. I shall promptly use my ir- fluence and so far as such law confers power upon me I shall promptly exer- else that power to bring about the earliest practicable organization of the machinery thus provided.
 "2-In the event that no such
 provision is made by law for deal
 ina with these matters. shall
 employ the influence of the execu-
 tive, to get the railroad companies
 and the railroad employees to join
 promptly in the creation of << n