The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1921-02-18
WILSON Rejects
RAIL MEMS PLEA
Refers Workers and Executives
to the Two Existing Ma
toinaI Boards.
WON'T ASK CONGRESS TO ACT
Labor and Commerce Boards Should
Decide Abrogation of Wartime
Agreements-carriers Approve
Presidents Course.

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Wilson re-
fused the request of railroad labor
union representatives that he inyes-
tigate railroad executives claims be-
fore the Railroad Labor Board that the
carriers must adjust wages Or face
bankruptcy. He also declined to sub
NIT the matter to Congress.
The President set forth his position
on the appeals made to him in a tele-
gram addressed jointly to two Of the
railway labor unions and to the Asso-
citation of Railway Executives, who
also had sent a communication to the
White House
Confidence was expressed by the
President that all questions dealing
with railroad labor and management
might be left safely TO the two bodies
intrusted under the transportation act
with such matters-the Railroad La
Dor Board and the Interstate Com
merce Commission. He accordingly
informed the labor and carrier rep
resentatives that he was submitting
copies of kilograms received from
them to these two bodies as ''the only
action deemed necessary"
The Presidents telegram read as
follows:
'I have carefully considered the sew
eral kilograms addressed to me dealing
with the labor question and railroad
management now under consideration
by the Railroad Labor Board in Chi
cago.
"The transportation act, approved
February %, 1920 to a greater extent
than any previous legislation. places
all questions dealing with finances and
railroad management and necessary
rates under the jurisdiction Of the In
terstate Commerce Commission, hence
all questions involving the expense of
operation, the necessities Of the rail-
roads and the amount of money neces-
sary to secure the successful opera
ton thereof are now under the juris-
diction of the commission.
s'At the same time the act placed
all questions of dispute between car
riers and their employees and sub
ordinate officials under the jurisdic-
ton of the Railroad Labor Board, now
sitting in Chicago. The board is COM
posed of three members constituting
the labor group, representing the en-
ployees and subordinate officials of the
carriers; three members constituting
the management group, representing
the carriers, and three members con-
stituting the public group, represent
ing the public. So far as I am adj
vised, the board may be relied on to
give careful and intelligent considera-
ton to all questions within its juris-
diction. To seek to influence either
Of these bodies upon anything which
has been placed within their jurisdic-
ton by Congress would be unWise and
open to grave objection.
"It would be manifestly unwise for
me, therefore. to take any action
which would interfere with the order
ly procedure Of the Interstate Com
merce Commission or of the Railroad
Labor Board, and all the matters men
toned in your telegram are within the
Jurisdiction of one or the other of
these bodies, and in their action l
think we may repose entire confidence.
''In view of the foregoing 1t does not
seem wise to comply with your sugges-
ton that the matter be submitted to
the Congress, and the only action deem
ed necessary is to submit copies of
the kilograms received from you and
from the representatives Of the rail-
road executives to the Interstate Com
merce Commission and to the Railroad
Labor Board for such action as these
bodies may deem wise in the premises.
This will be DONE"
The telegram was addressed to J. F.
Anderson, vice president of the Inter
national Association of Machinists;
Thomas De Witt Cuyler, chairman Of
the Association of Railway Executives,
and E. F. Cradle.