The Washington herald., 1908-02-24
INQUIRY IS BALKED
No Northern Railroads Will
Reduce Wages.
SOUTHERN ROADS INVOLVED
Two of Them in Hands of Receivers.
Interstate Commerce Commission
10 Probe for National and state
Enmity - situation on Chicago
Great Western DimeuIt to Solve.

That the inquiry about 10 be made by
order Of President Roosevelt TO ascertain
the reasons why certain railroads have re-
duced, or intend 10 reduce, the wages Of
their employees viii be prolific of results
is already apparent The results. how
ever. are rot the kind OF results he
sought when he addressed hts now famous
letter to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission.
From information obtained here. only
four railroads in the United states have
give1 notice of an intention 10 reduce
wages. Two OF these systems are in the
hands Of receivers. All operate in South
western territory. namely. the Louisville
and Nashville. the Southern, the Sea-
board Ain Line, and the Atlantic Coast
Line.
No Northern Road Involved.
No Northern road. 50 far as known
here, contemplates reducing wages. Many
of them, however. contemplate laying of
men as a result Of a falling off in bust
ness Turing the past few months The
same thing is true, II Is learned, Of GER
tain roads in the Middle and far West.
Members OF the Interstate Commerce
Commission desiine TO indicate just what
form its inquiry in compliance with the
instructions of the President will take
The annual reports OF the four roads
named above are subjected 10 close scru-
tiny in an effort 10 develop whether
diminished business or a desire TO get
even with the administration. or certain
States. prompted them TO give notice Of
an intention TO reduce wages.
For some months the roads operating in
the Southern territory have been harassed
by legislation which made their passenger
business extremely Improbable. This, to-
gether with a decline in freight traffic.
so IL is explained. resulted in two OF the
roads-namely. the Seaboard and the At
lsntic- Coast Line-going into the hands
OF recsiverships.
Chicago Great Western Inquiry.
Upon the return OF the Commissioner
Of Labor. Charles PS Neill who was
sent West TO make an inquiry by order
Of the President, il viii be known just
what the facts are in regard TO the at
;itude OF the Chicago Great Western
road toward its employees.
The statement has been made here
that representations were made 20 Presl-
dent Roosevelt that the Chicago Great
Western intended TO slash wages. in face
OF revenues that compare favorably with
those OF any other line in the United
States. This Information is said 10 have
come from W 5. stone. chief OF the
Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers
Il is said TO have been the immediate
provocation for the action OF the Presi-
dent in directing the Interstate Commerce
Commission to inquire into the business
OF railroeds alleged 10 be proceeding on
a course Sostile to the administration and
its policies. -
The Chicago Great Western. II has since
been learned from those high Up, who
should have been advised or the facts, is
not big revenue producer. and has long
been regarded as one OF the lame ducks"
in the railway world.
Expectation Is Defeated.
AS a measure calculated 10 make po-
litical capital for the administration. il
is already realized here that the 7resl-
dents letter has fallen short Of exf,ecta-
ti0ns. II has been demonstrated that
there is no concOcted movement on the
part of the railroads TO reduce wages.
In fact. every effort is to be made by
a I..sinber Of the big systems Of the couu-
try 70 maintain present scales as long
as possible, in the hope that theSe will
soon be a revival Of business. Thousands
OF cars are now at sidings in the United
States and thousands Of locomotives have
gone temporarily out OF commission. ow-
ing to the decline in trade incident to the
recent panic.
This has resulted in a Iay-off of many
men. although only in the instances noted
has notice been given that wages would
be reduced