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Show rHREE BROTHERHOOD I CHIEFS SRE GIVEN I PRESIDENT'S KERQICT I H Executive's Proposal Must Be j Put Up to Men, B. M. Jew- H ell-Announces i LENGTHY CONFERENCE (11 CALLED BY OFFICIALS ( Wilson Meets Representatives 111 of Workers on South Portico hi of White House III WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. An 'un- IwH terable" decision in the railroad wage controversy was made today by Presi- dent Wilson in conference with repre- iffl sentatives of the brotherhoods. The Rf president said the government's policy was "based on justice to all interests" ffill The president's decision was not nul announced at the White House. Offi- IHI cials said It was "a decision containing 11 a propsal." From this it wa3 assumed 11 that the president had refused to ! grant general wage increases, but had (11 made a counter proposition to the lll men. 11 The brotherhood men would not say 11 what the proposal was, Timothy Shea, 11 acting president of the Brotherhood of IH Fireman and Enginemen, announcing 11 that they would make no statements 11 today. -JH The While House was expected to M Issue a statement later in the day. '1H Meantime there was no Intimation whether the president had offered a Hfl substitute for an increase in wages in Tight on tho high cost of living, or 11 whether ho asked the workers to de- a lay pressing their demands until the H railroads were returned to private u ownership March 1. 1 B. M. Jewell, president of the rail S way department of the American Fed- 1 raiion of-Labor, nntfbunced. that the J president's proposal would have to be (.1 "put up to the men" before any an- if ' nouncement could be made by the m 'union representatives. m Three Are Present in Besides Mr. Jewell and Mr. Shea HI E. J. Manion, president of the Order u of Railway Telegraphers.was present Jjj at the conference. The president met h the representatives on the south porti fl co of the Wliite House and read a lf statement which he had prepared jjjj after a study of the report on tho wage H negotiations presented to him by Di- rector Gejneral Hines. The conference In lasted about 15 minutes. The presi- IX dent was in his wheel chair. jl Mr. Shea immediately notified the M other union officials who have been conferring with Mr. Hines, advising &j them to call a conference to consider m the presidnet's statement. He in til- cated that the conference would con Uj sume .most of Che day and might be fl continued tomorrow He said there Bj was no doubt disposition on the part jjj 0 fthe union men to act hastily and vj that they desired lo make a complete S examination of the president's state- ml meht before reaching a decision. m Won't Stay Strike j The president's proposal, whatever eil it was. was not expected to stay the R3 strike of the maintenance of way em- ployes called for next Tuesday. m Secretary Tumulty declined to say few whether the president had refused spo- ft clfically the wage demands saying, k1 "that everyone wants to settle tho A strike," and that the brotherhood uj chiefs should have an opportunity tp consider the president's suggestion or Q proposal without outside interference. B The president's statement that tho S ! government's policy was based on jus- K Itice to "all interests," is in line with g. 1 the final word presented to the union Rj 'leaders by Director General Hines at m ' the last conference with them. IfjH , Mr. Hines was understood to have fl Hold the men that with the return oi '1 the roads to private control under thf k; H new railroad bill an impartial Iribiina' J. H for consideration of their demands :; H would be created. K H Mr Hines was understood to have S H suggested lo the president that if an t H Increase in pay were granted the men . H i the roads would seek an increase in d H freight rates, which avouUI mean in f H creased living cosls. Inasmuch as the f H unions were pressing strongly for i h H reduction in living costs officials sait I H there reason tobel!eve that the pros ! H ident had employed this in his answci P H lo the union spokesman. j H When the railroad men reeled the H president they told him he was look H ing very well. H "I have just been shaved," said tlu H president, "that helps a bit." H The president, sitting in his wheel RH chair in a corner on the portico HI wrapped in a blanket, shook handi DM with the men when Secretary Tuuiul M ly presented them. They stood ui M throughout the conference with theii SH overcoats on, but their hats in theii f H hands. The president pressed then iH to put their hats on, because of the ! dampness, but they refused. JH After reading his statement, the pres ident asked them to give considera tion to his suggestion and they prom ised to do so. Ill oo |