Show RAll All ff B UNI UNIt Presidents President's to t p Proposal Appoint Ex to J 1 fJ t tf m JS I Approved by yorI Workers rs Feb I 14 14 VV The Th railroad representatives ta ives have to I acc accept pt t the recommendation of President nt Wilson j. j to hold their wage demands in In abeyance temporarily tem tem- Jt t was announced today President t Wilson Informed the men of ot his intention to appoint a com commis commission is' is sion of t. t wage wage experts experts to go thoroughly into into their thel claims On this b basis sis the union leaders agreed to delay further demands for Increased d wages and II a c convention of of their general committeemen to be be held in Washington Wash Vash ington F February ry 23 DECISION NOT FIN FINAL L. L The m union lon leaders leaders' reply to to the presidents president's proposal to handle the controversy In this manner did not end the the question finally They made lit it clear that they desired word from officials who are in closer touch with w-ith their membership than they the delegates delegates dele dele- gates who have been conferring with Hines since February February Director Gen General ral ary 3 3 As one part of or his reply the president president dent requested the maintenance of way men to withdraw their strike way order I NOTIFIED I The reply of the railroad brotherhoods brother brother- I ho hoods ds to President Wilson's Wilsons decision in the wage controversy o. o was vas presented pro pre I to the f before noon Immediately afterwards the union of officials officials of- of sent telegrams to ta their locals over the country which B B. M M. Jewell president nt of the he railway department of ot the American Federation of Labor said would w uld serve to steady our men I until they receive the full corre correspondence e covering the negotiations With Witha a full rull realization of our re reI responsibilities re- re the let letter er of the brotherhood brotherhood broth broth- I chiefs said we have decided to submit to our constituencies the thea a of the creation of a a special special cial joint commission composed of an an equal number n m er of representatives selected by the the railroad companies and th the railroad labor organizations signatory hereto by agreement and I vested with full authority to deal with this particular controversy on the basis of the following principles Rates of pay for similar or analogous anal anal- 1 s services in other Industries Relation of rates to pay to the in increased In- In creased cost pf or living A ba basic lc minimum living wage suf sufficient to maintain a r railroad mans man's average family upon a a as a's s standard andard of ot health and reasonable comfort TIME LIMIT SET That differentials ls above this mini minimum mum living wage be established giving I ing among other things due regard l lI to the skill required responsibility assumed as I and hazard Incurred decision j of this tribunal to be handed down within sixty days after agreement to I establish It and to be final and binding bind ing upon all railroads In the United States and whom we rep represent rep rep- resent In compliance with your request request that we submit your message and Its inclosure to the memberships we have issued a call for t the e necessary representatives of the organizations to meet In Washington p D. c C. Feb Feb- 23 when our letter of or February Feb 13 and inclosure together with the above proposal will be presented presented Cont Continued nue f on page pago i. i i RAIL STRIKE Continued from pa page e 1 to them for consideration and deter deter- Pending this action cUon on our part we respectfully request that you take necessary steps to place this proposal before th the executives of the railway companies and secure their agreement thereto so that when our representatives tives convene on February 23 we Willbe will willbe willbe be able to place before them a definite definite nite flite basis for final a action WILSONS WILSON'S PROPOSAL I The president set forth these principles principles principles prin prin- as covering the manner In which grievances of the unions should be dealt with In the event that in connection with the return to private control provision shall be made by law for machinery for or dealing with railroad wage matters I shall promptly use I Imy my influence and so far as such law confers power upon me rue I shall shaH promptly exercise th that t power to bring about the earliest practicable or organization organization or- or of or the machinery thus provided In the event that no such provision provision provision pro pro- vision Is made by law for dealing with these matters mailers I shall hall employ the Influence of the executive to get the railroad companies and the railroad rallI railroad rail rall- I road to join promptly In the cre creation tion of a a. tribunal to take up these thede problems and carry them to a conI con con- elusion I The union answer to this proposal was a reiteration of their previous I statement demanding immediate re re- re Ilief lief They urged that the president I not require them to await the creation creation crea crea- I tion of a tribunal by legislation They warned that they did not believe the I railroad would be willing willingto I to accept any plan which contemplated contemplated contern- contern plated delay dely i S SUPPORTS HINES MINES i The presidents president's attitude followed closely the recommendation made to him by Mr Hines when he broke off negotiations negotiation's with the union In his communication to the president Mr Hines said it w was was s impossible for the railroad administration administration adminis adminis- to dispose of such a comprehensive comprehensive comprehensive compre compre- and far reaching problem Inthe inthe in inthe the remaining seventeen days in which it will have hav jurisdiction and with such expiring j jurisdiction the railroad administration could not justify itself to the country in settling permanently for tor the future a problem on this character character character char char- acter which involves so much both to the railroad employee and the public public pub pub- lic lie which in some form must bear the cost of ot railroad wages While the c cost st of living has haSi in some respects respects' become even higher than when he made his address to congress In August President Wilson pointed out that In other respects it has already ady begun to respond to the c cor corrective r- r factors which have be been n and andare andare andare are at work |