Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1920 — THIRD PARTY IS THREAT OF RAIL LEADERS [ARTICLE]

THIRD PARTY IS THREAT OF RAIL LEADERS

, Washington, D. C., Feb. 2.—(Special.) —Demands of more than 2,000,000 railroad workers for wage Increases win be formally renewed tomorrow by the “Big Four” brotherhoods and the railroad department of the American Federation 4f Labor. The railroad workers’ organizations want to get action before the roads are returned to private ownership, March 1, as scheduled by President'Wilson. While it is obvious that the railroad administration can guarantee no increases beyond March 1, provided the roads go back at that time, the determined attitude of the workers means that the railroad companies will find a wage problem to aldd to their other troubles when they get back their property. ' Although the brotherhoods and others are making no strike threats they hhve won their fight to prevent enactment of the Cummins an-ti-strike provision in the railroad regulation biH, and they insist that no regulative legislation cain abridge their right to strike. The organizations also are insistent in their nation-wide campaign for government control of the railroads .through nationalization, an issue which they propose to make a political one in every congressional district. References to the power of the etrike In this connection are frequently made. x .Some of the radical leaders in the fight to end private ownership of the railroads hold the View that a general strike would be necessary for the purpose of forcing the government to take hold of the roads again, temporarily, at least, while the political struggle for nationalization under the Plumb labor profit sharing plan continued. .It is pointed out by some of the leaders that a strike would have immediate and mighty effect in' -bringing the nationalization issue to S political focus in the organizabn of a third big political party in the United States for a first showdown at the next national election, with government ownership and lowering of the cost of living as the platform. The formation of such a party » already being seriously discussed, and the -railroad labor leaders already have the matter qnder con-x sideration.

Nothing of this, however, as yet appears on the surface in connection with the wage conference with Director General Hines to be resumed tomorrow where they were left off Inst August, When President Wilson urged delay while the government whacked away at high costs. Now, the men say the government, has 'had enough time to demonstrate that it is not going to reduce costs materially and wages must be brought up to meet them.

The demands, which range from 5 to 40 per cent, in accordance with the character of the work affected, are to be submitted by the heads of the brotherhoods. ZT r They include also time and a half for overtime in certain cases, and re-arrangement of working conSriow^rgSSation” to participate in the conferences, days. ™ W UB - 8076 Final agreement on the railroad 4m Ivlpalw taen/iwwvttr twKai - tor voenmins said today, Be beueved ferecs, xsveral-.dayß will ob required iSf'itTfatfcn, TrarMvrtinM tW house’ 8 by the latter”part iof the date for the return of toe roads.