The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-11-28
ENGINEERS
GRANTED WAGE RAISE
10000 Employees Of 80 Eastern
Lines Profit BY Decision Of
Arbitrators.

Washington, Nov. 26.-Thirty thou
sand locomotive engineers on So east
Sern railroads gain partial victory in
their demand for. more wages, under
the award announced today by the
board of arbitration.
In its decision, however, the board
holds that the public, which no
voice in the controversy and no choice
but to abide by the decision, had more
railroads, and the renort emphasizes
the necessity Of plans to safeguard the
public against the possibility of a flu
ture strike, whose consequences it de-
picts in somber vein.
1T would be difficult to exaggerate
the seriousness of such a calamity
reads the report. ut is safe to say
that the large cities of the east would
find the supply of many articles OF food
exhausted within a week in case OF a
strike. On SO important a commodity
as milk, they would have no more than
a days supply. If a strike Of the char
acter lasted for only a single week., the
suffering would be beyond our power
of description. The interests of the
public SO far exceed those OF the parties
to a controversy as to render the for
mel paramount. To this paramount
interest, both the railroad operators
and the employees should submit"
commission Fian fANOfeds
To place such a strike beyond the
realms of probability the board advo-
Gates the creation of federal and state
wage commissions. These commissions
the suggests, Mould be vested
with practically the same powers over
organized labor as public utilities COM
missions now exercise owe quasipublic
corporations.
Following are the more important of
the lYQArd'E a awards ND tho Y~anJynSfc oP
the engineers.
In passenger service a minimum
wage was granted of $4.25 for 100 miles
or less; and an overtime rate OF so
cents per hour with IN average speed
of 20 miles per hour. The engineers
asked $40 and $3.50 per day Of 100
miles, according to the size of the To-
connective cylinder, with an overtime
rate of 20 cents per hour after five
hours.
In through freight service a mini
mum was granted of s4.75 per day of
rata after TO- hours. The engineers re-
quested rates of $5.25, $3.50 and $5.75
per day of 100 miles, according to size
of h engine, n 81 for Mallett en-
gines; the same rates to apply to mine
runs, work, wreck, helper or pusher,
milk and circus trains.
In local freight service 25 cents adj
ditional to the through freight rates
was granted. This met the full report
of the engineers.
In switching service a minimum of
s4.10 per day of 10 hours or less was
granted. The engineers asked $3.50 per
day of 10 hours in switching service
and for belt line service.
Existing Rates Continued.
/. All existing rates higher than the
minimum granted by the board are
continued in force.
In finding the minimum wage in pas
senger service at $4.25 per day, a higher
minimum rate is established for the
roads parties to the arbitration, with
the exception of a few.
In awardin~ the minimum through
freight rate of $4.75 per day. the board
establishes wages for the district that
m~easurably approach the current mini
mum of roads now paying the better
rates.
In making the rate for local freight
service % cents higher thar through
freight service, a general increase of
compensation is granted.
The effect of the 20-mile per hour
basis of computing overtime in the
passenger service, the rules regarding
final terminal delay, and other changes
in the rules of service, are all more
favorable to the engineers than exist
ing rules upon many OF the roads.