Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-15
PRESIDENT TAKES
LEAD IN EFFORT
TO AVERT STRIKE
Continued from nnrn

the public group on the board. mado
a hurried trip here from Chicngo at
the Presidents request. The third /
representative OF tho public. Wallace
1 w. Hanger, hns been in the capitol |
on other business and Joined the other |
two In their visit TO the President |
They reached the White House al |
/ 1850 o'clock.
II was not revealed what particular |
| plan they have in contemplation. but |
IL was Indicated the President might |
make some public Announcement rela- |
tive to the threatening strike. He has
given the situation close attention and |
has familinrizcd himself with the
fight between the employers and em-
ployes.
The president brought together the
three public representatives on the
wage board and the full membership
of the commission In meeting .tc
consider not only the threatened ma
tion-wide strike but the whole aues-
ton of a roadJustment OF railroad rates
and wages.
The three wage board members
Chairman Barton, wallpce w, Hanger
and Ben w. Hooper, came 10 Wash
ington at the Presidents urgent re-
quest and went with him 10 the offices
Of the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion where alh the members of the
committee were waiting.
The President remained IN the con-
ference for fifteen minutes. and then
returned TO the White House where
statement was issued declaring his
move was part Of general effort NJ
realignment of the railroad situation.
THE purpose of the meeting" said
the White House statement, twas a
broad consideration OF the possibility
of an carly adjustment OF railroad
rates and wages. in the expectation
that IL would contribute TO the indus
trial revival
No specific mention Of the threaten
ed strike was made In the statement
although Il was indicated the situa-
tion precipitated by the virtual deci-
sion OF the employees unions had
brought Mr.. Hardings plan to head.
II was assumed the strike proposal
! formed the principal topic OF discus
sion at the conference.
The statement issued at the White
House outlined the Presidents belief
I that the public group Of the wage
board and the members of the COM
], mission could do most for the public
$ welfare II they worked in co-opera-
tion.
{ 1t also emphasized the opinion held
{ in administration quarters that read
justment OF the whole railroad stu
alton would be possible TO aid toward
a general industrial rehabilitation.
After setting forth the purpose of
today's conference the statement said
: The railway Labor Board, created
by the Cum.nins- Esch act, comprises
r nine members IN three groups OF three
{ each. The public group are named
$ by the President; the labor group are
named from list nominated by the
d railway labor organizations; and the
e managing group from a list OF nomi-
d rees named by the railway execu-
: tives. The board is authorized gen
a orally 10 deal with the labor, wage
I and working conditions that concern
It the employees OF the railways and Is
!. given, in some directions, rather broad
! powers.
"In asking the members OF the pub
e lie group TO meet him the President
IS was moved by the desire TO ac-
y complisk what he hopes may be i'm
: portant as early as possible. Recogniz-
l. ing that the labor group and also this
e managing Aroup are in the nature OF
l. things partisans of the respectiv,
! elements which they represent tn,
President felt that IL was unnecessary
= 10 invite these two groups becaus,
n their attitudes would necessarily h,
I a.
s questions.
'e The labor group could be expected
3 to advocate maintenance of the high
y est possible wages. while the manag
ing group could equally be expected
TO insist that wages ought TO be re
duced. 1t was. therefore, the 2resi
dents opinion that the most promp
and effective results might be secures
by simply calling in the public groul
which is concerned equally with tn
J. interests of labor, of management, o
al shippers, and of the general com
D. munity.
is "The President has been impresse'
is that a somewhat anomalous situation
er that surrounds the relations OF tn
Interstate Commerce Commission
NJ and the Railway Labor Board. TIL
nj Interstate Commerce Commission ha
e. very large powers, through its con
n troll of railroads, to determine wha
al the revenues Of the railroads shoul
= be; while the Railway Labor Boar
;, through its authority in the matter O
wage determinations has very larg
power in determining the largest iter
of railway expenditures.
"The President was, therefore, i'm
pressed with the desirability of get
= ting these two highly potentia
bodies together and reaching some
thing like definite understanding be
- - tween them. II is a fact not entirel
~ without interest, that these tw
bodies have never officially met tc
gether.
n "For long time the President ha
or been giving much attention to th
s: problem OF the railroads in It's broad
ge est relations He has been persis
f. tently assured on one side that bus
In ness could not make a general an
lie lasting Improvement until railroa
elk rates should come down. and on III
XII other side, he has been told that
nd was impossible for rates to corr
5. down unless the wage charge shoul
r. be lowered. He, therefore, determine
,st to get together the two public badit
which have to deal with wages ar
rates and give them every possib
encouragement to take a strong lea
in the effort at an adjustment"
ne @---
Girls CIub Elects Officers.