Evening star., 1921-08-29
AT. OF |. TO DROP
/ RAIL. WAGE FIGHT
Not to Act on Reductions,
(; Says Executive Council in
important Decision.
Nv the Associated Press.

Tho executive council of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor has decided
to take no action regarding raiiroau
wage reductions.
Members said today. however, that
the council stood ready to assemois
in special conference ana give any a,u
possible should it be requestea 10 uo
so by any of the organizations VI
union railroad workers.
The council, In accordance with the
instructions of the Denver conVeh-
ton, is working on a plan 10 niIhs
about public ownership and Demo
cratic control" of the nat.ons s,.a sit, n
road system. But nothing definite IN
this can be expected for some
months. labor leaders say. as 1t IS
impossible to arrange conferences
with the leaders of the raliroau
unions at this time, when they are
occupied with the wage reouct'o"
situation.
studying Pay OF Railroad Omeiais.
Investigation of salaries being pala
railroad executives is being maae os
the council with a view to brinsins
nressure to bear to have these SAL
sries reduced until other wage earn
ars on railroads are paid a wage SUI,
ficient to keep them In decehcS ahu
comfort"
Details OF the pIoposSu -.
tion into the use of workers savings
Inv banks and insurance companies
we're announced today. The councii
Droposes to inquire into the presen.
credit system of the country ana TO
study the Kenyon rural credit olil.
Consideration also is to be given 70
Droposal to organize the proxy voting
power of workers who hold poiicles
in mutual insurance companies.
VIII Take Protective Action.
Upon the conclusion of its investi-
CATION the council is empowered to
take "whatveer action 1t deems best
and prudent to the end that the IN
terests. rights and opportunities OF
the workers and farmers shall be
amply protected and fully promoted
A report before the council says
that it is believed that funds and
savings of the workers accumulated
by the banks and insurance COM
panies and the present credit system
of the country to a large extent have
been used ito crush and destroy the
trade union movement and impover-
ish the workers as well as the
farmers"
Pleads for Labor Mt Arms Farley.
Samuel Gcmpers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, last
night made public his appeal to the
labor movement of the nations that
disarmament conference in Washing
ton to prevail upon their respective
governments to have labor represent
ed upon their delegations.
"The proposal to discuss means OF
tightening the tremendous burden OF
ARMAMENT" said President Gompers
in statement accompanying the
correspondence. "is one which inter
ests the working people above others.
From them came the first protests
against enormous armament.
.'The hope is repeated that the
forthcoming conference in Washing
ton may be attended by the highest
possible degree of success. The labor
movement in the United States will.
in whatsoever way 1t may be pos
sible, make every endeavof to be
helpful to the cause of disarmament,
exercise a voice within the confer
ence itself can it make available its
full volume of counsel and cooper
ation-''
The labor chief also made public
correspondence with the White House,
in which he urged President Harding
to appoint one or more representa-
tives of labor on the American COM
mission. Support of the federation
also was pledged to the President in
his move to bring about disarmament.
President Likes SuSEestion.
President Harding. in replying to
Mr.. Gompers. thanked him for the fed
eration's support. and said that he
would give consideration to the recon-
mendation that a labor representative
be appointed to the American delega-
very practical suggestion"
In his appeal to the labor move
nents of Italy. Great Britain. France
and Japan. President Gompers said
mat they should he represented In the
Washington conference. as the rights
less Intimately affected in the Wash
iRgton conference than they were in
the peace conference at Versailles,
where their right to representation
and participation was fully recognised
and exercised.
IF labor be represented upon the
delegations to the conference, it ia
my purpose to suggest that q confer
ence OF the labor delegates from each
of the delegations be held for the pur-
pose Of discussing not only the sub
ject for which they come to Washing
ton primarily. but also the various
questions of international Importance
in the field Of labor of the countries
, represented.
Labor vitally Interested.
From the first" he added. "the
American Federation of Labor has
taken a leading part in bringing to
the consciousness of the world the
need for disarmament and the release
of the workers from the terrible bur-
dens and dangers created by great
naval and military establishments.
The American Federation of Labor
believes that this movement will be
welcomed by the toilers everywhere
but ii should not be the province OF
the wage earners merely to observe
Tehy have the right to be partici-
pants"
The spirit and organization of Amer
lean workers are unbroken by the
will continue to push forward and on
ward. Samuel GomDers declared in an
address before a conference of labor
leaders.
Urges ResistfnE Wage Cuts.
Calling upon the workers to resist
wage reductions Mr.. Gompers said
wherever a reduction in wages has
been accepted by employees 1t has been
followed By another and then another
We have called upon the men Of labor
of America to resist wage reductio ions
Let me say in all candor to you
that We cannot in the present state
of organization. or even at the high
peak of organization. successfully re-
sist every offer of reduction of wages
but 1t is better to resist and lose or
because IL you don't resist you en-
courage the employer to the idea that
you can't and won't resist"
The executive council at brie1
meeting yesterday forwarded a cable
message to Premier Lloyd George urg.
ing him to continue the truce with TIE
Irish republic until after the forth