Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-05-01

and rules, and other rules. accord to
the men substantial benefits which
should not be denied them. There
fore. in order that the provisions Of
tho award may be put into effect and
the men permitted to enjoy the bene-
fits accruing therefrOm, ! conceive
IL TO be ms duty to Join other mem
bcrs of the board in making this
award
Standardization Approached.
II am satisfied that as respects
many OF the propositions submitted,
we have approached as near as may
be at this time, a Standardization OF
many important rules and rates
which viii In the future. tend to re-
move many things that have been the
cause of innumerable controversies
between the railroads and their en-
ployers"
The statement by Mr. Byram and
Mr.. Park was equally brief, saying
hat our signatures To the award
may not signify approval of II In prin-
ciple or in detail, a brief word Of
explanation seems necessary.
ANY scheme of standardization or
approach to Il, which does not per-
NIT OF equalization Of dissimilar rates
and rules, in our opinion is unsound.
The agreement under which the arpl-
tration was held gave no latitude to
the board 10 adjust or reconcile I'M
usual conditions. 1t was one-slded 1t
permitted Standardization only II up
ward.
ITO such provisions Of the award
as confer benefits upon men whose
present rates and conditions merit
~. Ia, Vf.s Fa,gAFI O.
to those who. in our judgment the
testimony shows to have been liber-
ally paid and properly treated, We
feel that nothing additional is due
them. and in agreeing to changes in
their rates and rules and to other
conditions Of the award il was only
because IT was made apparent that
their changes were necessary II We
were TO have an award at all II APP
peared to us that for the maintenance
OF the principle of arbitration for the
adjustment Of labor disputes, which
is the public interest, our duty lay in
this direction. even though addition
al burdens of expense result.
Dissenting opinion Lengthy.
The dissenting opinion Of Messrs.
Burgess and Shea was Of comparative
length, containing much argument
land evidence used in the hearing and
to which, they commended the arbi-
traitors paid too little attention, or ig-
nored. They held, with respect to
the opinion that the process OF arbl-
tration itself was being arbitrated,
that il has failed to qualify as So
luton of wage disputes.
They asserted that the precedent
set by the award in the eastern afbi-
tration which they held was notorl-
ousy unsatisfactory and was imappli-
cable to western conditions. figured
too largely in shaping the present
award They charged that much OF
the railroad evidence was calculated
to mislead and that the advances
granted in rates Will as a matter OF
plain fact by reason of the tendency
toward heavy engines and trains, re-
suit in a gradual decrease in the ac-
ttual earnings of the enginemen.
Four Months TO Hear Evidence.
Excerpts follow;
For substantially four months the
board has heard evidence and now in
handing down its decision II mas not
in any manner settled the questions
submitted for arbitration. The very
best that can be said of such an
award is that II settles nothing, but
simply postpones any further action
on the questions involved for period
of twelve months. We take the posi-
ton that it is manfestly unfair to
employ an award rendered in the
eastern country as the controlling fac
tor In the present arbitration
The opinion holds that the exhibits
Iof the railroads. In showing apparent
IL large aggregate earnings OF engine
en- were misleading In that detail
showed that in practically every ind'-
Vidual case large earnings were the
result, not OF a good rate of pay but
OF long hours on heavy tonnage trains
Men Worked Long Hours.
Close investigation, says the opin-
ion. revealed the fact that the engi-
neers and firemen had either to run
great number of miles, or worked
from thirteen TO twenty hours a day
during the month october, 1918,
which was selected by the railroads to
show actually earning and working
conditions)."
The opinion states that the railroads
were amply able to pay every adj
vance asked and declares that control
has become so concentrated that prac-
tically all western railroads are now
controlled by the Rockefeller and
Morgan groups of affiliated banks,
"A great opportunity TO bring about
industrial peace and the hearty CO.
operation of employers and employees
has been lost by the failure of the
hoard to equitably and justly settle
the questions involved" continues the
opinion 1--WE believe that the public
is duly interested in the safe and
proper operation of the railroads and
we had hoped by this award, the
question of wages and working con-
ditions would he settled and allowed
to rest for several years; but TO eX-
pect such IA condition when the find
ings of the board become public is
hopeless
Hours Not Considered
Further discussing the alleged fail
ure of the board to weigh equitably
the long hours as against the seem
ingly high pay. the opinion says
Surely NJ act by a government tri-
hunal could more keenly bring
home to the wagearners of this great
country the consideration they might
expect Il boards under government
supervision and control are to adjust
their wages and working conditions
on such basis The whole theory
Is so repusnant To us that we teei IL
our duty TO advise not only all rail
road employees but every organization
OF labor, &c seek, by every Influence
to secure the revocation OF law that
has the smallest tincture Of that prin-
I ciple embodied therein. for we believe
that the application of such a theory
/ brings us hack TO the practices and
conditions of two hundred years ago
and if ql1pwpl T., fiaupfSh and s~rp.V
VIII rapidly replace the American
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