Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01
RAILROAD LABOR
HEADS DUE HERE
Session Opening Tomorrow
to Face Problems fer
1850, 600 Workers.

with national attention centered on
She gathering the heads Of organized
lBilfDs0 labor meet here tomorrow. With
The forecast that out Of their dellbera-
tinils viii come plan 70 meet the prin-
cipal problem affecting those within
their rankS--unemployment
This conference viii be attended b.
the leaders Of the = unions comprising
the Railway Labor Executives Associa-
ton. which is headed b. D. b. Robert
son president Of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen,
and b M. Jewell. president Of the Rail-
way Employees Department OF the
American Federation Of Labor.
They represent $50 900 workers. and
the session here is viewed as one Of the
most important IN wears. In view Of cur
rent Developments in the industry.
Jobless Problem Looms.
Unemployment stands out as the most
important matter 70 come before the
meeting, Robertson told the Associated
Press at headquarters in Cleveland
yesterday. pointing out that there are
more than 100000 railway workers idle
and facing hard Winter. with little as
a. 5tar.He possible from their fellows who
are EMPLOYED.
Labor organizations have been study
Ing this subject for some time, he said
and as the result he expects formation
OF "a constructive. practical program"
He added that all efforts to revive the
Industry have failed, neither those re
sponsible" for successful operation. Gov
eminent tribunals or economists having
been able to find a solution.
Linked in with the jobless situation
will be the question OF the shorter work
day, and stabilizat ton of employment,
consolidation, regulation of highway and
water carriers and national pension
plan.
Recommendations Expected.
Recommendations along the whole
line are expected to be presented to
Congress for action at the forthcoming
session.
General wage readjustments will not
be considered. he said.
For months the brotherhOods have
been arguing for a six-hour day and
five-day week and Ii is expected that
something along this line will consti-
tute one Of the planks in their proposed
legislative program, the details Of which
have thus far been withheld.
Ina statement month ago. Robert
son said the union leaders had agreed
Shorter working hours and a shorter
working week is the only means by
which the unemployed railroad men can
be put back to work"
He added that no decision had been
made "aS to what effect shorter hours
should have upon wages" explaining
that the unions had not been able to
obtain a joint conference with railroad
executives TO thresh out this matter.
Mergers Also Studied.
The subject of consolidation is an
other to which the brotherhoodS have
devoted deep study. An effort has been
made to determine the number of men
who might be thrown out of work If the
proposed four-system uniflcation OF the
Eastern lines was put through, and at
last some figures on this are ready Tor
the study OF the union heads. The
unions want their jobs protected in any
merger.
The basis for the pension plan on
which the labor men have been work
ing calls for contributions by both en-
ployers and employees. AT the session
here last July Of the union chiefs, 1t
was said that it was desired to have
one scheme carried out nationally
Few of the roads, 1t was said, have
made such provision for their workers,
and where pensioning is in vogue, 1t
was said, IL is considered inadequate.
On the subject of regulation of high
way and water carriers the unions are
expected to 60 along with the railroads
who are advocating such Federal super
vision over these as viii 'equalize" their
operation and that of the railroads
The announced stand of the unions,
that wage reductions would not be con-
sidered had been forecast in railroad
labor circles here.
Wage Issue Dormant.
1t was said there was no reason for
the unions to anticipate this, but that
any expression should first come from
the carriers themselves if the issue was
TO be raised in connection with the re-
fusal of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission to grant the railroads hori-
Eontal Is per cent freight-rate increase.
The brotherhoods took a strong
stand against wage reduction last July
when the matter came up in connection
with the then pending rate proposal.
There has been nothing to indicate,
however. that the railroads as whole
have any intention. for the present at
least. of agitating this matter, present
efforts being directed toward working
out the surcharge pooling plan offered
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion as an alternative for the general
increase.
Southern Illinois farmers received
a total of 1875 loans aggregatlng
sl69. 2S4 from drought relief appropria-