Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 February 1920 — RAIL OFFICIALS TO HELP HINES [ARTICLE]

RAIL OFFICIALS TO HELP HINES

Executive Ready to Epedite Forming of Body to Handle Wago Question. READY TO SUGGEST NAMES Protest Against Provisions of Railroad Bill Will Be Made to President by Union Representatives. Washington, Feb. 20.—A committee of railroad executives tendered their co-operation to Director General Hines in carrying out the proposal of President Wilson for the creation of a committee of experts to gather data on the wage question. They expressed themselves as "fully appreciating the desirability of expedition" In handling the wage question. The time and method of constituting the committee of experts will be considered further by Mr. Hines with the heads' of the labor organizations he makes a recommendation to the president. x T. Dewitt Cuyler, spokesman for the railroad officials, informed Mr. Hines that the executives would suggest the names of the corporation representatives on the committee at tlie president’s request. The results of the conference between the director general and the railroad officials was communicated to the union lenders who are here awaiting the general conference of committeemen called for next Monday. Try to Learn Corporation Stand. The conference with the railroad executives was called by Mr. Hines to ascertain the attitude which the railroad corporations would assume toward the proposal advanced by President Wilson In his reply to the demands of railroad employees that a federal commission be appointed to consider the wage problem. The committee of railroad officials appointed by Thomas De Witt Cuyler, chairman of the association of railway executives, at the request of Director General Hines, is composed of the following: Harry Bronner, E. N. Brown, 8. T. Bledsoe, H. E. Byram, W. R. Cole, Howard Elliott, 8. M. Felton, W. H. Finley, Carl R. Gray, Charles Hayden, L. E. Johnson, Howard G. Kelley, Julius Krtilttschnltt, E. E. Loomis, L. F. Lorff, Robert S. Lovett, C. H. Markham, William Church Osborne, Samuel Rea, Bird M. Robinson, W. L, Ross, A. H. Smith, F. D. Underwood, H. Walters and Daniel Willard. Protest against the wage provision of the cpmpleted railroad bill will be made in letters to President Wilson and Director General Hines which representatives of the railroad union organizations and officials ot the American Federation of Labor were framing at conferences at the federation beadquarters. Trackmen Consider Situation. Detroit, Mich., Feb. 20.—The railroad wage situation was considered at a special meeting here of the executive committee of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and Railway Shop Laborers. Plans of the union to participate In the conference of general chairmen of the railway brotherhoods to be held in Washington next Monday were also discussed. Heads of the union defined to say whether any independent action was although President Allen E. Barker declared tn calling the meeting that the strike organization, set up for the walkout that was scheduled for last Tuesday, but postponed, would be kept intact. The union - officials were hopeful, they declared, .of an early settlement of the wage controversy. Barkley Attacks Rall Bill. Washington, Feb. 20. —The railroad bill as reported out by the senate and house conference was denounced by Representative Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky, as the “result of the greatest propaganda ever, attempted in behalf of private Interests at a time when the American people are thinking of other things.” The efforts of the railroad lobbyists who "have camped on the doorsteps of congress for more than a year,” are "abundantly rewarded,” said Mr. Barkley, “while the fundamental rights and interests of the people* are entirely Ignored.” The Kentucky congressman was one of the two Democratic conferees on the part of the house who refused to sign the conference report. His statement was a severe indictment of all of the principal sections of the bill. Its good features, he said, “are overbalanced ai)d rendered insignificant by the unjust, unnecessary, un-American and unconstitutional provisions which seek to give an unnatural and unjustifiable value to railway securities of a certain character.”