Bisbee daily review., 1921-02-02
RAILWAY HEADS DE NY CHARGES
 PREFERRED BY
 LABOR LEADERS
Declare Accusations Are Merely Propaganda In Favor Plumb Plan
READY TO ARBITRATE
Report States Basic Wages
 Must Be Reduced Unless i Agreements AbrOgated

CHICAGO Feb. 1.-The railroads asked Ie railway labor board to ab- rOgate the national agreements so that an ultimate reduction in rates without an immediate reduction in wages could be brought about. Thom- as Dewitt Cuyler. chairman of the Association of Railway Executives. said tonight m a telegram to Presi- dent Wilson. replying to oEa sent him last night by representatives of sew en labor unions
 Cuyler denied charges made against the railroads by the labor leaders, de claring that they were deliberate and gross misrepresentations and propa asanda intended to discTedit the private management of the railroads in the interests of the Plumb plan and to defeat efforts being made in good faith to abolish rules and work ing conditions which were war meas ur6S
 Cuyler said the railroads had re- fused 9 conference with labor leaders because such a conference could not adjust conditions fer all roads. The
 
 ually, to adjust conditions with their employees and were. in fact urging this on the labor board.
 ''The action requested by Brisadier General w. w. Atterbury (abrOgation of the national agreementS) is the only action which with government sanction. can free the hands of the railway executives and enable them by orderly procedure with their men to develop appropriate rules and working conditions. the telegram said.
 The only rules that stand the tests of practical operation and do not in- vOlye endless controversy. are rules which are negotiated between each management and its own men and the opportunity of securing this Is requested by the roads. not only to enable the railroads to achieve thS earning power contemplated in the Transportation Act. but in the inter ests Of an ultimate reduction in trans portion rates to the public
 Last. hut not least. the roads re- quest iS in the interest of the men who work upon these railroads We recognize that as the wages of rail road employees were the last to go up they should also be the last to come down. and. if by restoring conditions necessary to efficient and economical operation the railroads can postpone for a reasonable period the reduction ! Of basic wages which will ultimately be required they will be only too glad | to do so in the interests of their em ] plOyes
 The pressing financial necessities ] of the railroads are such that. ii de ! nied the opportunity of initial econo my through proper rules and workine | conditions their only other recourse must be in reduction of basic wages The railway executives are pro ! ceedin- with the keerest sense or ob | ligation to the public They feel they ! are trustees of q great public interest and hat they are representing not i only their own interest, but the inter | estS of the farmer. the consumer. Ia | bOr and manufacturers and the rail way employees. They have every con ! fidence that, when the various indus ! tries and workers are making theil ! respective contributions to a decline in the cost of living. railway employ es will certainly not refuse to make their similar contribution"
 R. F. Grahle. president of the Unit
 ed Brotherhood Of Maintenance O
 Way Employees and Railway Shol
 Laborers. the largest of the railwa.
 unions, tonight sent a telegram tI
 President Wilson protesting againS
 the statement made before the labo
 board yesterday by General Alter
 bury. declaring that it was in viols
 tion of the Transportation Act an,
 did not contain facts"
 RAIL WAY REDUCES WAGES