The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-09
SECURITY D W NERS JOIN WORKERS IN ASKING CONFERENCE
President Urged to Call Meet ing of Representatives of Both Sides to Discuss
 Working Conditions.
By Associated Press

Washington. April S.-The National Association of Owners of Railroad Securities joined today with five rail- road labor unions in proposing that President Harding call a conference of representatives of both owners and employees to discuss the railroad prob lem, particularly as it affects wages and working conditions now in dispute before the railroad labor board.
 s. Davies warfieid. president of the asrociation. and Darwin r. Kingsley. president of the New York Life Insur- ance company, conferred for an hour with the President on the general transportation situation and suggested the conference as one of the means for adjusting the difficulties the roads face. The request from the unions was in the form of telegram from B. M Jewell, head of the railway employees department of the American Federation of Labor
 Coincident with the conference at the White House and the receipt of the telegram, Chairman Cummins of the Senate interstate commerce commit tee, announced he had drafted reso- luton, for introduction next week, urg- ing a geenral and exhaustive investi- gation of railroad affairs. He plans to begin the inquiry about April Is. Means for bringing about reduction in rates, operating costs and the ques- ton of efficiency under private owner ship will be the principal angles to be gone into. Rail managers will be heard first and labor representatives will follow.
 NO COMMENT MADE
 No comment on the conference to- day was made at the White House, but after the meeting memorandum left the President by the representatives of the securities owners was made public, saying the conference covered wide field"
 After suggesting @ that properly called meetings between the men ana those representing the railroads be held under the auspices of the existing governmental agencies-the labor board and tE interstate commission the memorandum said. I've are on rec ord that wage adjustment is only part of the problem" and expressed the view taht this should be attained un- der circumstances carrying assurances to railway workers that whatever may be brought about is reasonable and just"
 POSITION NOT UNREASONABLE
 Ut occurs to us," the statement con- tinued, that it is not an unreasonable position on the part of those repre- senting the men that deficiencies in revenue should not be met by wage re- ductions alone unaccompanied by evil dences of the definite intention to bring about obligatory general economies"
 The securities owners, 1t was added, felt assured that in cases in which an agreement cannot be reached with an individual railroad management, the employees would enter into immediate discussion of their differences by regional boards, equally divided. Pre- cedure of this character, it was said. was encouraged by the Esch -Cummins act./ and would avoid endless hearings and clogging of the docAets of the la : bor board.
 The telegram to the President from wage disputes be held in abeyance pending the. conference and settlement of the question of rules. It included 12 points which were described as 1abor's self-evident and inalienab b ie rights which would have to be set- tied at the suggested conference. It further specified that the national agreement should not be discounted in any way pending the outcome of the conference. The IF points included the eight-hour day. collective bargain ing and pay for overtime work.