Evening star., 1934-03-18
Score "Dirge"
of Lines i'm
Pay Plea.
ASSERT LABOR
IS VICTIMIZED
Renewal of Parley
Here Tomorrow
to Seek Accord.

Railway labor leaders, representing
more than one million employees, to-
day fatty rejected the proposal of the
railway managers that the existing 10
per cent cut in wages be continued
until April 30 1885. They demanded
that full pay be restored July in
accordance with the existing agree
ment, thereby ignoring the proposal
of President Roosevelt that the status
QUO be continued another six months
to avoid a bitter controversy at this
stage of national recovery.
The action of the railway labor
leaders on top of the threatening
strike in the automobile industry in
tensified anxiety in the adminiStra-
ton over the whole problem of labor
relations.
The railroad wage problem is out
side Gen. Johnson's province. Joseph
B. Eastman, Federal co-ordinator of
Transportation, VINO was appointed by
the President to mediate in the wage
dispute last year, expressed disap-
pointment at the impasse.
"I had hoped they would be able to
settle their differences" he said.
He said that he had not been called
into the discussions, but that If the
President should decide to intervene
he would, of course be glad to as
Sist in attempting a settlement of the
controversy.
Meet Again Tomorrow.
After considering the rejection by
kIo roTr1ittna nf ninP
railway managers announced they
would meet the labor unions again
tomorrow. 1t is believed that they
will endeavor to obtain the friendly
interceSsion Of the President,
It was observed that in rejecting
the proposal of the managers that
the present pay cut be continued until
April 80, 1885, and insisting on res
toration of pay on July 1, the labor
leaders have put both parties in a
position to compromise on the con-
tinuatlon of the status quo for six
months.
However, the Is per cent cut in
basic wage rates, of which the man
substitute for the present 10 per cent
deduction, is another important ele-
pnent in the negotiations. Under the
proposal of the managers submitted
Thursday. this cut would be sus-
pended, of course, but would be left
for bargaining purposes when the
wage question was reopened after
January l, 1885.
After three days of conference, the
railway labor leaders yesterday after
noon delivered their demand that the
10 per cent cut be wiped out and
basic rates be restored on July |.
The nine managers withdrew and
a little more than an hour later pre-
sented their reply in the form of
brief statement ready by w. F.
Thiehoff. chairman of their COM
mittee.
Rejection a Surprise.
The statement said:
your rejection of our proposal has
come as a surprise and a shock to
us, especially in view of the request
of the President of the United States
made upon your association and our
committee to preserve the status quo
in the railway situation in the in
tereSt OF national recovery Your
action precipitates a serious situation
and makes imperative a considered
statement of our position.
I'VE will meet with you again
Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock"
The managers then withdrew. The
several hundred members of the
Railway Labor Executives Associa-
tion sat silently for few minutes
until A. F. Whitney, their chairman,
adjourned the meeting.
The Presidents request that the
status quo be extended for period
OF "at least six months" came in
February, following the notice given
by the railroads of Is per cent cut
in basic wage rates on July l for the
period of one year.
The proposal laid before the con-
ference here Wednesday by the COM
mittee of managers consisted of four
points:
a. That further action under the
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