New-York tribune., 1914-03-31
5000 Men Laid Off Since
December and Further
Cuts Are Planned.
THORNE'S IMPLIED
CHARGE CALLED UNFAIR
27,60O Laid Off by N. Y. Central
Since Last March. Says Vice.
President Harden.

The Erie Railroad is the latest OF the
Eastern systems to announce the en-
forcement OF unusual economies in ex-
penses Of operation. 4. J. Stone, general
manager of the railroad, declared yes'er-
day that these changes were not so
drastic as those put in force ny the
PENNSYLVANIA and New York Central
systems. but Included wage cuts, reduc-
tons in the clerical force and lessening
of working hours designed to aid In on
setting declining revenues.
1--WE have laid off about six thousand
men since December declared Mr..
stone "Our shops are now on hait
time, owing TO the increase In the num-
her of idle freight cars, which In the 'ast
four or five days has grown so that we
expect TO make further reductions In our
shop labor.
I'VE are now engaged in trying 10
make more drastic cuts in expenses,
which will largely affect the divisional
superintendents and other minor OF
ficials The clerical force VIII also come
i'm for reduction. Wage cuts are also
under consideration. Usually AT thls
time of the year we increase our man
tenance force gradually until we get TO
the maximum in the middle of summer,
but we will not do that this year While
we are cutting down maintenance to the
bone we are not doing IL at the expense
of safety.
1--WE now have about eighteen thou
sand fewer men at work than at the
height Of our maintenance work last
summer. Our retrenChment Is shown pct
ter by the fact that we are putting on
less men than in laying them off. While
we are anXiously hoping for an increase
in rates. the retrcnchment in progress is
due TO quiet business. We have not cut
down our train service, because we do
not go i'm for passenger trains like the
Pennsylvania and the New York Cen
trail. our train service depends upon the
demands of business. and We increase or
decrease our trains according to the
amount of traffic offered.
Vice President \. r. Harden OF the
New York Central last night amplified
his previous announcement. that fifteen
thousand men had been laid off by that
system. by saying that the reduction in
labor on the companys lines had been
gradual, hut that few men had been
dropped since January l. He stated that
the fifteen thousand men referred to by
him were those on the lines east OF
Buffalo, and that from September. 1918,
TO March Of the current year 1850 men
N...I 50
largely. however during the period up to
January /.
THE present working force OF the New
York Central" declared Nice-Presdent
Harden, numbers about $4,000 men. But
if We were carrying an amount of bust
ness equal to that of last year we would
need 1900 more and If there had been
a normal growth. say Of to 6 per cent,
We would need $500 more men than we
now have on our payrolls."
Vice President Harden said il was not
the intention Of the New York Central to
lay off any more men now unless the big
falling off in gross earnings which began
last December continues.
He branded as most unfair the implied
charge of Clifford Thorne, chairman Of
the Iowa State Railroad Commission, that
the railroads were publishing unfavorable
statistics at this time TO influence public
opinion and legislation in favor OF the
Eastern roads request for per cent
increase in freight rates.
Al the offices of the Delaware & Hudson
Railroad It was stated that few men had
been laid off recently owing to the storms
which did considerable damage and neces-
stated the employment OF large num-
Der OF men. 1t was considered likely,
however, that there will be some re-
trenchment if business conditions war
rant This will probably affect the clerical
force as well as other departments.
Another cut in railroad dividends took