Evening star., 1931-11-04
RAIL LABOR GIVEN
PARLEY ASSURANCE.
Executives Official Notifies
Conference Here Proposal
viii Be Considered.

with the assurance that "iumediate
eonaldcraf5on" wculc be gwen their re-
uuea; fcT q Joint conference With ~ =
management u dieruss pressing prob
lcfns confronting the industry. the
heads of organizes r3HTGad labor to-
day were here winding up a three-day
conference from which the proposal for
THE meeting was advanced
Word of the carriers attitude Was
received lesi night hg ID y Robertson.
chairman of the Railway Labor Execu-
tiyes Association in telegram from
r., II Ashton. chairman of ths AssO-
citation ~ nailw2y Executives 10 whom
the proffer Of the conference had been
made Monday night
Message Sent 10 Loree
''To bring about imms sdiate consider
alton Mr. Ashton vrire1 from Chicago
where he Is attending the meeting 0f
the American n llWav Association, I
have transmitted by wire 10 l. i L0ree
chairman Of the Easter Presidents
Conference, w r. Cole chairman Il
the Southwestern Presidents Confer
encei and J. W. II Hggin8, chairman Of
the Western Executives Association, the
text Of your proposal
THE Association Of Railway Exccu-
lives has no Jurisdiction over these ques-
tons, but realizes It's responsibility ia
bbslsiing 70 promote general welfare and
b aid in restoration OF prosperity"
ln proposing the joint conference, the
Inbor executives, who have baen ioined
On their deliberations here by h NJ
Jewell head of the railway employees
department Of the American Federation
Pf labor, took coeuzance OF rumors that
che carriers were Planning to seek a
wage cut. In view Of their failure 10 get
Che is per cent freight rate increase
from the Interstate Commerce Com
mission.
win Allow Wage Talks
II was suggested that such meeting
would permit the wage question or any
othe" that the carriers desired to be
taken up and would give the employees
an opportunity TO discuss an issue on
which they have been trying for a year
70 Rcs national parley-stabilizati of
employment
Some months ago. before the wage
question had been precipitated by the
freight rate case, the workers sought a
join meeting. but we're advised to take
up tleir problems with the individual
lines
The labor men decided yesterday to
call special meeting here before Con-
greSs conVenes, so much time having
been consumed in discussing unemploy-
neent and a national pension plan that
II was seen many matters which were
due up at the current conference nec-
essariiy would have to be sidetracked.
Tbs date Of this meeting was not
immediately set.
Details Left TO Actuares.
The pension plan in general is to be
based on contributions both by employ
ers and employees. and details were left
TO actuaries and Donald Riehberg,
counsel for the brothernoods
Chairman Robertson left the confer
ence for a while yesterday afternoon to
testify before subcommittee of the
Senate Committee on Manufactures,
which is considering legislation for
national economic council to stabilize
Industry.
Robertson indorsed the principle of
a governmental agency of this nature,
and expressed the view that stabiliZa-
tion would have to be applied to in
dustry as whole II it were to be sue
cessflr. He also bespoke a voice for
labor in management.
The labor chief, responding to ques-
tion of Senator La Toilette, Republican,
of Wisconsin, chairman of the subcom-
mittoe, said he saw no objection TO
amendment of the afla-tI1lst laws to
balance production against consump-
ton. as business leaders are advocating,
providing the public interest is ade-
Quately protected.
Outlook Held Discouraglng.
He described the outlook for rail
workers as "discouraging."
Five hundred thousand have been
thrown out of Jobs by the depression,
he said, and 250,000 have been dis
placed by chronological changes" In
the industry in the past decade.
In the shop crafts alone, Robertson
continued. some 10000 or $4,000 addi-
tional men would oe out of work If their
associates had not voluntarily reduced
their own working time to share 1t with
them, The same plan has been followed
I'm train service, he said.
Labor has suggested a shorter work
day TO deal with unemployment, Robert
son said He added that no co-opera-
tion had been received from the car
TierS on this problem.
Robertson said ne saw I'm an economic