Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-02-07
DENIES APPEAL!
Ill UuI IL u4uUu
Of UNION men !.
ASKING ACTION

Safely; Left to |. c. c.
and Board, He Says
Unwise to Interfere or
Submit Matter to Com.
gress, He Declares
Washington, Feb. 6.->Presi-
dent Wilson Sunday refused
the request of railroad labor
union representatives that he
investigate railroad executives
claims before the railroad labor
board, that the carriers must
adjust wages or face banlrupt-
cy. He also declined to submit
the matter to congress.
The president set forth his position
on the appeals made to him In tele.
gram addressed jointly to two Of tho
railway labor unions and to the Asso-
citation of Railway Executives. who also
had sent communication to the White
House.
Confidence was expressed by the
president that all questions dealing
with railorad labor and management
might be left safely to the two bodies
entrusted with them under the trans
portation act-the railroad labor board
and the interstate commerce commits
sion. He accordingly informed the Ia
Dor and carrier representatives that he
was submitting copies of kilograms re-
ceived from them to these two bodies
as the only action deemed necessary
The Presidents Telegram.
The presidents telegram follows:
Il have carefully considered the sew
eral kilograms addressed to me dealing
with the labor questions and railroad
management now under consideration
by the railroad labor board In Chicago.
The transportation act approved
February IS, 1920, to greater extent
than any previous legislation places all
questions dealing with finances and
railway 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-
ways and the amount of money oeces-
sary to secure the successful operation
thereof, are now under the jurisdiction
of the commission. At the same time
the act placed all questions of dispute
between carriers and their employees
and subordinate officials under the
of the railway labor board.
now sitting in Chicago.
May Rely Upon Board.
This board is composed Of threa
members constituting the labor aroun.
the employees and subor~
dinate officials Of the carriers: three
members constituting the manaxemant
group, representing the carriers, and
three members constituting the public
group. representing the public. So Tar
as | am advised, the board may be re-
led on to give careful and intellireua
to all questions within it'll
jurisdiction. To seek to influence
either of these bodies upon anything
which has been placed within thei1
by congress, would be un-j
wise and open to grave objection.
1T would be manifestly unwisa for
ne, therefore, to take any action which
would interfere with the orderly proy
,edure of the interstate commercS
commission. All the matters mentioned
n your telegram are within the jurisr
liction of one or the other of tAeaN
bodies. In their action, think. Wo mar
'epose entire confidence.
unwise to Grant Request,
"1n view of the foregoing. It doessnoh
seem wise to comply with your surrass
ion that the matter be submitted II
he congress. and the only ac1ioS
ieemed necessary is to submit copieG
If the kilograms received from ynY3
md from the representatives az ~
ailway executives to the hterststS
ommerce commission and to the rail
oad labor board. for such acfion Al
hese. bodies may deem wise Ia th2
'remises. This win be done"
The telegram was addressed to =.
:. Anderson, vice president Of the
International Association Of Machine
IAN of the Association Of Rai1Wav
Employees and Railway Shop Laborera.
On Payne's Advice.
The reply Of the president to two
alegrams sent by the railway labor
mons and to one telegram addressed
. him by the Association. Of Railway
Executives, is understood to have been
ased on recommendation Secretary
s director general of railroad admin.
'tration. The kilograms were re-
erred to Secretary Payne when re.
eiyed early last week, and his recon-
were forwarded to the
White House Friday.
The railway workers in their first
elegran. signed by the heads Of