The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-22
Demands of Employees Easily
Met by Simple Process of
Increasing Passenger and
Freight Rates.
ROADS ANTICIPATED
TROUBLE WITH LABOR
And Reached Satisfactory
Agreements Promptly to
Avert Serious Commercial
Conditions in u. S.
(American News Service)
~ JONATHAN WINFIELD.

american News Service)
~ JONATHAN WINFIELD.
Washington, May 21.-Without ex-
ceptions railroads and other interstate
public service corporations have re-
sponded to the demand made by their
employees. both in the mechanical as
well as In the clerical departments,
for an increased wage scale and bet
ter working conditions. The reason
for the amicable adjustment is given
by an official Of the Interstate Com
merce commission rs condition
which is easily remedied by an in
crease in either passenger rates or
freight rates of the railroads.
The railroads at the beginning OF
the present year anticipated series
OF general strikes in every department
which, It is said. II allowed to prevail
would have paralyzed tariff and caus-
ed loss of hundreds of thousands. per-
haps millions of dollars. and thrown
thousands of persons out of employ
ment.
Were Nlpped In the Bud.
Two of the important classes OF
men-the conductors and engineers
and Aremen, controlling perhaps by
their vast labor machine the entire
tariff Of the railroads and steamboats,
In the country-notified several of
the railroads that they would strike II
an increase In wages was not granted.
The incipient labor troubles were
averted and little annoyance from
these old disputes Is expected In the
near future. owing to the prompt ac-
ton of the railroads in meeting the
demands OF the men.
In the west, however, a like demand
Is being made by the switchmen and
enginemen which threatens to impede
and delay trans-continental railroad
tariff II the issue is not promptly met.
This dispute effects about forty-seven
railroads and about 125.000 men.
It is no nearer settlement now by
amicable means than when arbitra-
tion was first suggested by Martin A.
Knapp, chairman of the Interstate
Commerce commission, and Charles P.
Neill, commissioner of labor, consti-
tuting board OF arbitration under the
Erdman act. who are especially en-
ployed by congress to officiate in such
cases.
Trouble In South.
In the south the Southern railroad
and the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
company are having a stubborn dis
pute with telegraph operators. Ar
bitration has been broached by both
Chairman Knapp and Commissioner
Neill. as well as representatives of
the laboring men and the railroads.
Some meetings have been held for the
purpose Of suggesting or accepting
some plan whereby the points at diff
ferences could be arbitrated, but as
yet nothing has been attained where
by the dispute could be ended.
Strikes have been averted, however,
by means Of arbitration suggested by
Chairman Knapp and Commissioner
Neill, between the railroads entering
Jersey City and the steamboat pilots
operating railroad ferries between Jer-
sey City and New York City; in the
New England states, through arbitra.
ton; in the middle west, by board
of meditation. and on the Chicago,
Rock Island system through arbita.
ton. All told. through the kindly Of
fees Of the arbitration board fifteen
threatened strikes have been averted
over the different railroad lines of the
estimated by an official Of the Inter.
state Commerce commission that at
least $10.O00.000 has been saved to
laboring men alone and at least
like sum to the railroads on which
strikes have been threatened.
One Great Factor.
Necessarily. the one great factor in
al these strikes has been the insist
ent demand for an increased wage
scale. On the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road. the increase in wages amounted
to $4,000 annually; on the Pennsyl-
vania system. the increase amounted
to $4,000; on the Rock Island an es-
innate puts the figures at about $780,
600: on one Of the New England roads,
the increase Is $2S,000: while the
Southern railroad, It Is expected will
increase its annual pay roll about $780,
900 shoulu they acceed to the demands
of the striking telegraphers and sub
sidiary employees; employees Of the for.
ty-seven railroads centering in Chi
cago, demanding an increase Of wages,
will II successful earn over $4,000
more during the coming year than
previously.
This enormous increase in wages
haS naturally lead the various rail-
CONTINUED on Page Eight)