The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-03-21

settlement.
The railway chieftains, accept
ing the presidents proposal that
managers and workers see ka
temporary wage settlement, pro-
posed that present wages be con-
tinued until January l, 1885. La
Dor leaders conferred on a reply.
The complicated story of the
rail dispute follows in brief:
Railway workers now are work
ing for 10 per cent less than the
scale called for in their con-
tract, under an agreement which
expires June 80. The conference
committee of managers served
notice several weeks ago that
lower wages would be sought.
President Roosevelt asked the
managers and the association of
railway labor executives to seek
a temporary arrangement to pre-
vent disruption of the industry.
Managers and workers met
here last week. The former pro-
posed that the present agreement
be continued until June 80, 1885.
Union leaders rejected the offer
and demanded restoration of con-
tract wages. The managers with
drew their offer and said they
would reduce wages to Is per
cent below the contract scale-a
net reduction of 5.55 per cent
from the present actual wage:
The unions responded with a
demand for wages 10 per cent
above the old contract scale
22.22 per cent above the present
actual scale.
The president made it clear
Tuesday that he would take any
necessary action to protect the
public, and urged again that a
temporary agreement be made.
He threatened to order general
investigation of the entire rail
wav labor situation. He also told
the roads that they should revise
minimum wages to bring them
within average code levels. The
railroads are not under a code.
w. F. Thiehoff, spokesman for
the managers, responded with a
letter to A. F. Whitney, chair
man of the union leaders, urging
a new conference and proposing
extension of the present wage
rates until such time after Janu-
airy l, 1885, as would permit AN
orderly determination after that
time of the basic rates of pay"
He also said that the roads were
ready to discuss the code-level
minimum wage proposal.
Choice of yesterday as the time
to file the long delayed suit
against Weirton steel was consid-
cred significant. The point at
issue there is identical with that
in the automobile fight - COM
pany unions-and the automobile
executives now have before them
a tacit warning that the admins
tration is confident of its power.
The suit, an application for in
junction to restrain the company
from violating the recovery act
and the steel code, was filed in
the Delaware district court. 1t
charges these violations:
First, Denial of employees
rights to bargain collectively
through representatives of their
own choosing.
Second, Denial of employees
rights of self organization.
Third, Interference by the COM
pany in employee elections.
William ]. Long, head of a
delegation of Weirton workers,
told the senate labor committee
yesterday that a strike in the
steel industry would result unless
congress passed the Wagner Bill
to strengthen labor protective
provisions of the recovery act.
Meanwhile, in the house, Rep
resentative Blanton, D., Texas,
charged that the Federation OF
Labor, by intense unionizatlon
activities, was interfering with
recovery. Representative Con-
merry, D., Mass, and Weideman,
D., Mich, replied that manage
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