Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-02-03
RAILROAD PLEA IS
HELD UP BY BOARD
Managers Told to Agree With
Men on Cut of Wages.
WORKERS APPEAL TO WILSON
Officials of the Six Railway Labor
Unions Call on President to Have
Rail Managers Claims Probed
by Congress.

by Congress.
Chicago, Feb. 1.-Refusal to abolish
the national agreements and to re-
duce the wages of railroad employees
by the United States labor board was
forecast when Chairman r. M. Barton
declined to receive request to that
effect, made by w. w. Atterbury for
the Railroad Executives association.
The plan of the railroads was to
reduce wages of common labor at
once and cut wages of other employees
after 90 days
Chairman Barton asked Mr.. After
bury if it were not possible for the
srailrOad executives and the employees
to get together in a spirit of helpful
louf a basis for the board to act upon.
I Mr.. Atterbury declared that the sit
nation is so acute and there is such
"a radical difference of opinion be-
tween the two sides that such a con-
Ference would not bring any relief.
BASIS or wage Keller.
Chairman Barton said that when the
board made its wage award the ma
tional agreements were the basis upon
which the award was made.
He again declared that the two par
ties should first get together and work
earnestly for a mutual solution. Final
ly he declined to receive the request
of the railroads and said that a for
NAL decision whether or not to receive
it would be made after an executive
session of the board.
Mr.. Atterbury was given a hearing
at the opening of the days session OF
the board, and he made formal plea
that the present hearing on working
conditions be discontinued, that the
national agreements be abolished at
once, and that a basis be given for
all ultimate reduction in wages.
Henry Hunt, representing the pub
lie OH the railway labor board, de-
clared when Mr.. Atterbury finished:
"The transportation act requires a
conference should be held on any sub
ject likely to interrupt service. l
think you should take up in confer
ence with the employees the condi-
tions you have presented here,'' he
said.
A. 0. Wharton, labor member of the
labor board, demanded that Mr.. After
bury put on record the names of the
railroads that were behind him and
state upon what authority he acted in
asking for the annulment. of the ma
tional agreements.
Opposes Wage Reductions.
Violent opposition to wage reduc-
tions on the part of railroad workers,
who are expected to take a firm stand
against giving up any privileges gained
during federal control, was voiced by
J. C. Luhrsen, president Of the Amer
ican Train Dispatchers' association.
He advocates national control of all
railroads in statement issued after
Mr.. Atterbury's presentation.
"A single ownership in some form
and unified operation of all United
States carriers" he declared, 'is the
only logical outcome of the transpor-
tation problems of America.
"The employees of the railroads of
America will not submit to bearing the
burden which the carriers seek to inn
pose on them.
''The great effort now being made
to reduce operating expenses is all di-
rected against the workers. The whole
American railway system is extrava-
gantly operated and the public is
asked to pay the BILL"
B. NJ Jewell, president of the rail-
road employees department of the
American Federation of Labor, sent
a telegram to President Wilson, charg-
ing that General Atterbury chad not
only violated all decent propriety by
his ultimatum to the labor board, but
had disregarded the transportation
laws and f1outed existing agencies,
such as the interstate commerce COM
mission, which have been created ex-
pressly by congress to deal with the
financial requirements and proper op-
Grafton of the railroads.
He called upon the President to have
the railroad executives place their evil
dence of inability to operate the rail-
roads before the interstate commerce
commission. If it is found to be true,
he asked the President to refer the
matter to congress.