The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-02
DOUBLE SQUEEZE |S BE E|NG SUFFERED BY REPUBLICANS
Farmers Cry For Rate Reduc- ton, While Railroad Labor
 Wants Wage Advances
Fly THOMAS l.. STOKES (Leased Wire To The Age-Herald)

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-President Coolidge and the administration are suffering double squeeze" in the effort to bring an economic adjust ment that will keep the country con tented and preserve the high level of prosperity.
 With farmers of the west and northwest calling loudly for relief and demanding that freight rates bt reduced on agricultural products railroad labor has come in with re- quests for advances in wages al along the line.
 The last link in the chain of de- mands for wage increases, that oi the Brotherhood of Locomotive En- gincers was announced from Chi cago Monday almost simultaneously with the call of Ben ". Hooper chairman of the railroad labor board, upon President Coolidge at the White House.
 Hooper said that he had come to urge the President to recommend legislation putting teeth in the trans- portation act to force obedience of the boards decisions. He stated af- ter his call that he had given the President a picture of the labor boards operations, and it is under stood that he took up with the President several proposed wage in- oreases which the railroads probably will bring before the board.
 eFavor Rate Adjustment.
 The administration has been rather favorably inclined toward some ad- jlstment of railroad rates that would take the burden from the farmer. Secretary of Agriculture Wallace has recommended a 25 per cent cut, ana the President has been urged by others to have the interstate com merce commission investigate rates on agricultural products.
 But railroad labor has thrown a wrench into the works. Any wage increase would be a strong argument for the railroads against any ap- preciable reductions.
 The advance asked by the Brother hood of Locomotive Engineers would bring their pay back to the schedule of July 1, 1921, when 121s per cent decrease went into effect. All four of the transportation brotherhoods have now requested increases. The Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen and the order of Railway Conductors have asked advances of from IF to 15 per cent. The locomotive engine men requested 121s per cent boost.
 Railroad, business and labor repre- sentativeS and members of the spe- cial committee studying conso~-sa- tfon under the United States Cham Der of Commerce met here Monday to draft general recommendations to be presented later to a meeting of all committees on transportation
 1t had been recently suggested that fhe consolidation of railroads would make agricultural rate reductions possible. Those carrying strictly az ricultural products would be grouped with others. thus making the whole system pay.
 This was suggested Monday by Carl R. Cray. president of the Union Pacific railroad, who is chairman of the consolidation committee.
 Many relative rate adjustments which might under other conditions be desirable are impossible, because they would bankrupt certain roads and unduly enrich others" he said. When there have been developed, through consultations, fewer larger systems of relatively equal strength, there will then be greater possibili- ties for more satisfactory rate ad- justments."