The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-12
Rail Case Put Up To Wilson
lines to Submit Wage Con-
 troversy With 1000, ,OO0
 Railroad Employees to President After Failure to Reach an Agreement.
By Associated Press

Washington, February H.
 failing to reach an agreement with the representatives of the
 nore than 2,000,000 railroad Employees on demands for in- treased wages, Director Gen. eral Hines decided tonight to Bubmit the whole case to Presi- bent Wilson for decision.
 The appeal to the President is to be taken at the request of the union lead ers after they had conferred with MT
 Hines for two hours late today and liter he had informed them there was ao hope of an agreement under pres ent conditions MT. Hines will send to Ahe White House tomorrow the state knents of the unions, together with his own representations in the controversy.
 The President thus Is called on | lto determine whether the govern
 'mcnt will ask the railroads to as-
 sume the obligations incurred in the way of increased wages or transfer the wage demand contrO-
 vcrsy to the corporations soon to
 regain control of their properties.
 NOT FINAL BREAK
 Submis of the claims and argu- |nent to the President, while tempo arily ending the general negotiations, Does not mean final break, railroad Administration officials explained. Neither members of MT. Hines staff |nor the union spokesmen indicated . hey felt that deadlock had arrived, l Although the discussions were ended. Regardless of the Presidents decision n the matter, the differences could be roned out after return of the rail- oads through machinery likely to be Eet up by pending legislation, it was fxplained.
 Mir. Hines refusal to grant the em- bleyes' demands apparently was based fntireiy on then fact that federal con- l rol soon will cease.
 UNFAIR TO OWNERS The director general was understood To have kept this angle consistently before the union men, together with | he argument that it would be unfai- To the thousands of owners of rail- load stock to increase the expenditures
 
 krflment would be responsible for the revenues obtained for so brief a pe Eiod
 Mir Hines said the union representa- lives had presented their views with liability and frankness,'' and that while The conference had not solved the problems before it, the real issues in- +oived were more clearly developed |han at any time since the wage de hands were first presented last July. In explanation of his action the di- rector general issued the following ktatement:
 MIR. HINES STATEMENT Since February 3 the director gen. kral has had frequent conferences with The chief executives of the railroad la Dor organizatio for the purpose of Revising means for disposing of the lending claims for wage increases. During these conferences the execu lives of the labor organizations have Impressed their views with great abil- |ty and frankness. The director gen; fral has not been able to agree with | hem as to how the problem should be |lination of federal control. and Is now laying before the President the rep Eesentations of the executives of the Organizations and also his own report Tor the purpose of obtaining the Pres Edent's decision in the premises. Tn eny event the conferences have been (Continued on Page Two)