New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-04-09
Rail Owners
Join Unions in
Asking Farley
Not Reasonable to Make Paw
Cut Cover Deficiency in
Revenue, Say Securities
Holders: Meet Harding
Cummins Plans Inquiry
Efficiency UndcrPrivateCo Con
troll Would BE Scauned;
President Gets Mems Plea

WASHINGTON. April s.--Thc Ma
tional Association of Owners of Rail
road Securities joined to-day with five
railroad labor unions in proposing that
President Harding call a conference of
representatives OF both owners and en-
ployees to discuss the railroad prob
lem, particularly as It affects wages
and working conditions. now in dis
pute before the Railroad Labor Board
s. Davies Warfeld. president of the
association, and Darwin T. Kingsley
president of the New YORK Life In
surance Company. conferred for an
hour with the President on the gen
eral transportation situation and sug-
gested 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. NJ. Jewell. head of the rail
way employees department of the
American Federation of Labor.
Cummins Proposes Rail Inquiry
Coincident with the conference at
the White House and the receipt of
the telegram, Chairman Cummins, of
the Senate Interstate Commerce Com
mite. announced he had drafted a
n,
authorizing a general and exhaustive
investigation of railroad affairs. He
plans to begin the inquiry about April
10. Means for bringing about a re-
ductlon IN rates. operating costs and
the question of efficiency under pri-
vate ownerships will be the principal
angles to be gone into. Rail managers
Will be heard first and labor repre-
sentatives viii follow
No comment on the conference to-
day was made at the White House, but
with the President by the representa-
tives of the securities owners was made
public by them, saying the conference
covered wide field"
After suggesting that "properly
called meetings between the men and
those representing the railroads be held
under the auspices Of the existing gov
erpmental agencies the Labor Board
and the Interstate Commerce Commits
slon'-the memorandum said:
I'VE are on record that wage adjust
ment is only part of the problem" and
expressed the view that this "should be
attained under circumstances carrying
assurances to railway workers that
Whatever may be brought about is rea-
sonable and just"
1T occurs to u.s." the statement con-
tlnued, that it Is not an unreas enable
position on the part of those represent
ing the men that deficiencies in reve-
nue. should not be met by wage reduc-
tions alone, unaccompanied by evil
dences Of the definite intention to bring
about obligatory general economies"
The securities owners, it 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
formed by each of the four groups
Of railways as now arranged by the
Commerce Commission for rate max
ing purposes. Procedure of this char
acter, it was said, is encouraged by
the Esch Cummins act and would avoid
endless hearings and clogging of the
dockets of the Labor Board.
The telegram to the President from
the labor unions proposed that all
wage disputes be held in allegiance
pending the conference and settlement
Of the question of rules. 1t include ed
twelve points, which were described as
"labor's self-evident and inalienabe
rights which would have to be set
tied at the suggested conference
further specified that the nationa
agreement should not be discounted
in any way pending the outcome OF
the conference. The twelve points in
Guided the eight-hour day, collective
bargaining and pay for overtime work