Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-03-05
WILSON STARTS
RAILWAY BOARD
Asks Unions ard Companies to
Submit Names for Ap-
pointment.
TEST OF LAW POSTPONED
Believed That Rail Workers viii Not
Force Demand for Wage Increase
--"All Good Americans and
viii Aid the President"


Washington. March 4-Presideni
Wilson asked the railway executives
and employees to join in selecting rep
'esentatives for bipartisan board
for the purpose of attempting by con
ference to agree" upon a solution OF
the railway wage problem under sec
tion 30i OF the railroad BILL
In his letter to the employees Presi-
dent Wilson quoted from his communi.
cation to them of last Saturday. say.
ing he believed such board would
so far toward maturing the wage dis.
pute "for final disposition and asked
that the brotherhouds select "such
numbers of representatives as may
seem appropriate" to conduct the con-
ference.
Both sides were requested by the
president to forward the names of their
representatives to Director General
Hines, who, the letter said, would ar
range for the first conferences at
which questions of procedure and rep
resentation which might arise could be
decided.
In his letter to Mr.. CuyIer the presi-
dent reviewed the railway wage situ-
alton from the presentation OF the de-
mands last August to the present time
ana recalled that last month he had
told the union representatives that
settlement of these demands ought not
to be postponed for further indefinite
period and that the matter should be
handled by an agency which could con-
tinue 10 function after federal opera
thbn Of the roads ceased.
Since the railroad companies have
now resumed the operation of their
properties and since the transportation
act has become law" he said, "the
way is open for the immediate hand
ling of the wage matter In accordance
with procedure contemplated by that
law.
II believe all will agree that the
matter calls for the earliest disposi-
tion and for the most active and earn
est cooperation to avoid any delay
whatever In bringing it to a conclu-
sion. Section 301 of the transporta-
tion act contemplates that the carriers
and employees may and ought to se-
lect representatives who will In effect
constitute a bipartisan board for the
purpose Of attempting by conference
to agree upon a solution of wage
problems subject to other provisions
of the law.
"In view OF the generality of these
demands. affecting the railroad EN-
ployees on all the railroads which have
been under federal control and in view
of the manifest desirabllity and Justice
of the earliest possible disposition of
the demands. / request that the rail-
road companies select such number
of representatives as may seem appro-
priate to them to conduct the confer
ence and negotiations contemplated by
section 301, to the end that such rep
resentatiyes may promptly meet in
conference with representatives select
with the request | am making Of them
and may thus initiate the necessary
proceedings"
In his letter to the executives Of the
labor organizations, the president
quoted from his communication to
them last Saturday upon signing the
railroad bill, in which he called atten-
tion TO sections of the law providing
for wage boards, and added:
II therefore request that your organ
ization select such number Of repre-
sentatives as may seem appropriate TO
them to conduct the conference and
negotiation contemplated by section
B0l. to the end that such representa-
tives may promptly meet in confer
ence with the representatives selected
By the railroad companies in accord
ance with the request / am making of
them and may thus initiate the neces-
sary proceedings"
Representatives Of the railroad
unions are understood 10 have voted to
give the new railroad law a trial In
bringing about a settlement Of their
wage demands.
1t is understood also that they de
cided to hold In abeyance plans TO test
the constitutionallty Of the law and
not 70 refer the controversy to the
union membership for vote until the
law has been given fair trial.
This means Il Is said, that all dan.
ger Of "a general strike at this time has
been removed One Of the union Off
cials said: 1--WE are all good Ameri.
cans and desire to 20 along with the
president as far as we can