The Washington herald., 1914-02-28
GENERAL REMARKS.

The milease Of the lines directly oTersted was
Increased i2J5 mics. due chiefly 20 the eonstTuc.
tion u tarious branch lines TO obtain additional
traffic. and the changes in the milcase owned and
that operated under lUase or as agent due %
the atsorI'tiOn Of the Cambria and ClsarhsId
Railway.
those Of any PREVIOUS year in the history Of tas
ColniShy, being 6ls pcr cent greater than the
rrTenue~ in 1872, but a downward tendency
OcC'irrcd in the last two nOaths II the year.
While tile Ieycnnes increased t.ls Trr ccnt.. the
total eNpsuses u Raii Operations show increase
Of ass per cent cUnT4rJd With the prerious year.
The Operating results 4 the year 1873 like those
OF 1912 were Affected By legislation such as the
Extra Crew Laws and other e1psnSiue measures,
ard By Wage incrv&sFs sTsnted the result Of
arbitration under toe Endman Act. The Extra
Crew Laws alone involved expenditure by the
PennsyTaniA Railnuad System East q Pittsbnr<h
will convey suIne conception cf the extent uf the
nredIss expenditures that have been placed uIpn
all OF the railroads In this territory. During 1918
the conductors and trAinmen fOrty-cne Of the
railroads in Eastern territoy comprising about
lo.oo men. submitted . request to the various
carriers for an increase In uAges. In which your
Company and Others could not acluiesce. The
matter was nnaly submitted TO arbitration. being
the first wage controversy to be srttled under the
new Federal Law known the Nevlands Act
with the result that working conditions were further
teSt1eted. and an ncre1sc IN wages was grsnted
spIEnHmating Tor Ill railroads Concerned about
Sp10o rer sanntn or { Irr cent. This award
was made November lOh 1913. effective October
lst, 1913. but tho increased Wages have not yet
been paid further interpretations Of the award
are now being made and settlement will follow.
The expenses for tie year 1915 will be increased
AppruXimstely Sp.0b. the result of this award
II is evident Therefore that the ability TO regulate
wages and working conditions, and other heavy
operatng eypeuses has the rrsilt Of Federal aud
State Legislation. hrsely passed from the coutrol
Of your snszIment. as has also the pvuer Of your
Company and other railroads. 10 charss reasonable
IL. A..
The gravity Of the situation Is indicated in the fol-
lowing quotation from the recent award Of the
Board Of Arbitration in the matter Of conductors
and trainmenis waggs:
Passenger and freight rates TO be paid In the Eastern
TsritoTJ; neither s 1t in a position to determine
whether such increase Is justified, as q matter
Of fact. by all Of the circumstances. This Board
however, believes that Il must make its fIdhrg as
to what Ia a proper nate Of Ray TO be awarded 20
the conductors and trainmen q result Of this
arbitration. without any reference to the dilemma
in which the railroads evidently placed by the
laws which make II impossible for them 10 in
crease passenger and freight rates without the
authority Of the Interstate Commerce Commission
or Ci the Railrusd Commissions Of the rarious
States To take any other view Of the question
would be 10 decide that no incresse Of pay. while
The laws rrmain ss they are, can ever be made CT
eept Voluntarily by the railroads Such q decision
would render srbitrations like this rslueless; and
Il would be in effect to hold that r.ilroad service
in the Eastern Territory must continue to be ren-
iered at existing rates Of pay. even though this
were 10 condemn the esnployes Of the railroad to
work for rates q pay which have been determined
BY the most careful inquiry to be inadequate At the
present time = ton Of freight Is moTed in the
Eastern Territory more than three miles for the |
salne of q two-ccnt postage stamp. This is the
heapest railroad service 10 the shipper TO be found
N the face Of the globe. In the face Of such = |
act Il would be unjust 10 say that railroad en- |
Oloyes must cOntinIe to be satisfied only with what
IN be paid from freight rates as low as this. The
ID. and
rbitration Board has the duty uf determining \
rhcther the railroads can earn in addition 10 their