Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-16
ASSERT DRIVES OF
GOVERNMENT FAIL
Ask IF Americans Must Admit
They Cannot Control the
Profteer.
IN ACCORD WITH LABOR PLAN
Union Leaders Propose Amplifi-
cation of Policies Outlined by
Samuel Gompers.
tsy Associated Press. ]


ton OF definite program as a basis
On which to continue its campaign
against high living costs. has been
initiated by railroad labor. II was dis
closed tonight by union officials. While
tho wage demands OF the 100000 rail-
;oad workers. which have held official
attention since February ,. Will be held
n temporary allegiance at tho request
OF the President, there Is no disposition
on tho part OF union leaders TO regard
iheir work Az complete or TO await
altogether final decision OF the whole
wage controversy TO be given by the
general conference OF union comm!ttee-
The attitude OF the union onicials.
while they expressed Qualification at
tho rccoEnition OF certain Of their prin-
cd on an apparently general belief
among their membership that the gov
e-nment has mot held together In any
% It's drives on the high cost OF living
Spectcr."
Sluch criticism was directed at Con-
S:ess and the. heads OF executive de-
sotiations, leaders said The general
feeling OF railroad labor was expressed
n this question. asked by union Of
sa %h1 has Ssr,se
Are We. as Americans, 70 admit
that VIC cannot control the prohteer?
In, Accord with Gomper.' Plan.
rho program under consideration
VIII in no way run eouater to the plan
which has announced It's attention of
engaging aggresstvely in the coming
saa noa eanagaas aasas1s sss %t ah,g as sa
complete, accord. They propose. how
eyer. an amplicationEof an addition, 70
: tho aoiicics outlined sey samuel g. omp-
purpose Of "bencfiting all OF the people
While helping labor.
There was no indication, Of the exact
form which the program VIII take. II
can be stated. however. that 1t VIII
contain recommendations to Congress
which all OF organized labor will be
counted on to support. Union. heads
said they desired to have IDEAS worked
out comprehcnsively for submission 10
the general conference next week
Intlmation also was given that plea
was to be made to the more determined
O, the railroad union members who
ltave. rclentlessly banded action and
,elie<" Some OF the conServa tive lead
ers seemed to feel that the Presidents
proposition TO create wage commits
sion Of wage eTperts and then. either
tute wage tribunal for dealing with
the union claims, might not entirely
meet apPToyai ,Sev S hs nave sahsn
,herefore. m Would fortify the union
heads against tho pressing OF demands
viii swait Develepme.ts.
9. M. Jewell. acting president Of tho
american Federation of Labor. today
expressed satisfaction with the prog
ITess made thus far: He said he be, be,
acaulesce In the request OF their rep
,resentatiyes here to await develop
nents Loca, ALL leaders nTs have =. esn been as
rluainted with all details OF the neEo-
tiations and have been urged to await
,Ns ,Ween rs'1ips t}s % anion @ oficiais. Direetor-
General Hines and the President
Reference was made made TO-DAY Ssy to the the
81 sor ihe reply n0h 70 M wilson
in that 1t had set forth an indication
Of what the unions would accept as a
the reply to the President. was inter-
preted by leaders themselves as por-
tending the exertion OF union power
its demands for final and definite"
solution OF the problems arising from
the wage claims.
Must Get Pay Increase.
.omcials stressed the Importance OF
dent, declaring that. whatever decision
Is reached, must include revision OF
the the pEsssn: telationship Of railFOad
tries Without that chanse-which
means an Increase in pay. they said
satised Sas wla dse,anod not be entirely
Various clements in tho railroad
unions tried throughout the war to
bring this angle OF their claims to a
orystall lization, but the leaders said
they stayed their demands because
we wanted to keep ourselves out Of
the class OF profiteers: we wanted to
be free to say we did not take adj
vantage OF our governments" =.
Leaders now were said to feel that
the emergency has passed and. there :
fore, they arc prepared to ,combine in
{. campaign against living costs, to to
demand higher wages and to request
the establishment of a policy whicb
will place all labor on an equal plane
with other trades in order to bring
All union officials who are to at
tend the general conference hero have
been asked to give study to the prinS
cipleB outlined In the letter to the
President, with the thought that if
additions should be made, they would
be prepared to submit them without
delay. The leaders hope to make the
case before the country before the
roads are restored to their owners