Show Text of Presidents President's V Request for Truce V V In Wag Wages s Disputes V y 11 i A A SITUATION has arisen in connection with the administration of the railways railway's which h is of si such h general significance c that I think it my dut duty to to make a public statement concerning it in order that the whole country ma may know what is involved The liThe railroad have e demanded demand d a 3 a large increase ase in wages The They are now receiving 58 pS 63 and 68 cen cents per hour 1 oUt They demand 8 80 cents per hour This flits demand ha has been given careful and serious consideration by the board which was was constituted by the railroad administration n to adjust qu questions of wag wages 3 a board consisting of f an an equal number of representatives of employees and of the operating managers of the railroad companies This board has been unable to come com to an agreement and it has therefore devolved upon the director of railroads railroads' and myself to act upon the thc merits of the case casc The Tire urge that they ar are e entitled t to higher heT wages wales because of ot ravages received by doing similar 1 Jl r work In the higher wages for tor the pres present nt men ship shipyards na navy yards ards and ar arsenals as well ell as In In a number of ot private industries In Industries Industries In- In but I concur with the director general In thinking thinking- that there Is no real basis of ot comparison between cn the settled employment afforded mechanIcs mechanics mechanics me me- Ics chan b by the r railroads under H living nl conditions ns as various as the location and surroundings of oC the railway shops and the fluctuating employment employment employment em em- afforded in industries ex exceptionally and t temporarily stimulated by the war and located almost without exception in Industrial centers where the cost of or living H is highest Higher Cost o of Living The IThe substantial argument which t the urge Is the theer er very serious Increase e in the cost o of living This is Is' Is Isa a a very potent argument mated indeed lut the fact tact is that the cost o of living living- has hay c certainly rea reached hed Its ts peak and will probably be lowered by the efforts which are arenow now everywhere being concerted and carried out out It will certainly be lowered as soon as there arc are settled conditions of ot production and of ot c commerce that is so o soon as as th the tre treaty ly of or peace peace Is ratified and In operation and merchants manufacturers farmers miners all an have ha a certain ba basis bais ls of at cal calculation as to What what their business will wUl be and w hc he j jia will be under r w must U bo be cond conducted ct d. d 4 The uTh d demands demands' tiie fore and andall similar demands are In effect this That vc we mako make Increase ns increase in wages which nr are likely to tobe be permanent in order order- to meet a a. temporary ry situation aton which will last no nobody nobody no bod body can tell how lon long but In all aU only to for a a. limited time Ume Jn- Jn creases in wages moreover cr certainly Ctr result In still further Increasing I the costs of at living and we wo should only have ha to go go 0 through the same same process again Any An substantial Increase o In wages alOs in leading lines of ot industry at this time would utterly crush crusts the general genera campaign which the government government govern Jovern- m ment nt Is waging wag With energy vigor and substantial hope of or success to Deduce educe educe the high co cost l of or living And ld the Increases s In the cost of ot transportation transportation transportation tation which t would necessarily result from Increases in the wages of at railway railway rail raU- way would more certainly and more immediate have hae that ef effect et- et teet than an any other enhanced enhanced wage wage a e costs On Only b by keeping the cost coal of ot production on Il its present level by bj in increasing increasing in in- creasing ln production and b by rigid economy md saving on the Pi part rt of oC the I p people ople can we wc hope for tor large decreases In the burdensome cost of oC living which now weighs u us down The director general Jeneral of or railroads s and I have hae felt elt that a peculiar re responsibility re- re rests upon us because in determining this this' question we are arenow slow now not studying the balance balanc sheets heets of oC corporations merely we no are arc in effect determining the burden of or taxation f which must fall tall upon the people of ot the country in general Jeneral Wo Vo are arc acting not for tor trio the private te corporations but In the then name me of the government and the public and must assess our responsibility accord accord- I. I Opposes Freight Rate Raise For I It t Is neither wise nor nor feasible to take care of of t Increases In wages v of oC railroad at this time until peace has como come and normal norma conditions conditions conditions condi condi- return return There i I. I no certain basis ba therefore for tor calculating what the Increases in increases In- In creases of freight rates rate should be anti and it Is Js necessary for tor the th time being LeinS' at nt an any rate irate to take care of ot all increases J In the wages of ot railway through through appropriations from the public treasury In such circumstances it sc seems mg clear to me and I believe will stern seem clear to every e thou thoughtful American including the themselves hes when tho they have taken second thought and to all wage earners of ot every kind that we te ought ous-ht to postpone questions of oC this sort until normal n conditions condi l- l lion come again and we have havo the tho opportunity for tor certain calculations asto as asto asto to the relation relation- between wu s. nd and the cost of ot 11 living 1 n J It is 15 the dut duty of or ever every citizen ClUzen of ot the tho country to insist upon a a. tru truce e eIn In such u h contests until i intelligent settlement can be made and made b by by peaceful and effective e common counsel I appeal to tomy my fellow tellow citizens of ot ever every employment to operate co-operate In tn Insisting UT on and maintaining such sucha such sucha a truce and to co operate also In sustaining tho the government Jo In fn what I conceive to be lie the tho only course which conscientious public servants can pur- pur aue Demands unwisely ma made and passionately insisted upon at this time menace the thc peace and prosperity of ot the countr country as ns nothing else could an and 1 thus contribute to bring about the tho very results which such demands are intended to remedy r med Recognizes es' es One Olle Claim There is however er one claim made by the railway which ought to be bo met They claim m that t the they are arc not enjoying tho the same name advantages advantages tases that other railway emp oes arc are enjoying because their wages wager are ate calculated upon a different basis The Tire wages of ot other railway are based upon the tho rule that they are re to receive for tor eight hours' hours work the tle same pay the they rec received for forthe forthe forthe the longer work da day that was as the usual standard of ot the prewar period Thin ThIM claim In ls I am ant told well founded and I concur in the conclusion of oC the director general that the ou ought ht to be given ItI the additional 4 cents an hour which the readjustment asked for tor will JU There here are certain other adjustments also abo pointed out In the report of ot the director general which ought In lb fairness fo to be lie made and arid which will be made m I Let et me add also that the position which the tho government must In ales Increases increaser In levels le while hUe the conscience take against as general wage age present exceptional and temporary circumstances exist Will Fill Ill of ot course not preclude the railroad administration from Crom giving J prompt and careful c consideration con to ton any n claims claim that may be bee made b by other oilier classes of for lor readjustments readjustments read read- ts believed ld to be bo proper to secure impartial treatment for tor n all l who nho work in the railway lIer service |