Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-05-05

award and offered a dissenting opin.
ion. They held that the arbitrators
had not considered the testimony pre-
sented by the men, had ignored the
mass of statistics offered by the
brotherhoods and had lodged the fact
that even where an engineer or fire.
man was shown to have been pretty
we'll paid, generally he had to work
from 13 to 20 hours to obtain his
wage.
Continuing, the dissenting opinion
said: "The rates awarded here and the
principles promulgated simply mean a
sure and gradual decline in rates of
pay now existing; for the rates award
ed, while tabulated as minimum rates,
will, in effect, prove to be the maxi
mum rates on many roads. The decis-
ion of this board makes it practically
impossible for the rates granted by the
award to be increased except by
another concerted movement, as it
can be safely assumed no manager
will increase any rate through mutual
negotiations. Therefore, this board,
by it's award, has created a condition
that forces the employees to regard the
rates fixed as maximum.
ITO illustrate more clearly this
point, the rate now paid on the Chica-
go, Milwaukee and st. Paul Railroad
per 100 miles in through freight SER
vice is 1855 for engines with weight
on drivers from 100000 to 225,000
pounds. The award not only fixes the
rate at $40 per 100 miles, but pro-
vides that this rate shall apply to all
engines under 100000 pounds on driv-
ers, thereby reducing the rate and in
creasing the labors of engineers and
firemen. The rate now in effect on
a number of railroads per 100 miles
are $5.65 for engines weighing from
225,o00 to 250,000 pounds on drivers
and the awarded rate is $40 per 100
miles. 1t must be apparent that roads
purchasing these large engines in the
future will be under no obligation to
pay the rate that now obtains on
neighboring lines, but will apply the
means a gradual decrease Of rates
fixed by mutual agreement through the
evolution of the minimum rate to the
maximum
The brotherhoods, through Arbitra-
tors Shea and Burgess, expressed re-
greet that this Joint Wage Movement
had ended virtually in fiasco. Along
this line the dissenting opinion said:
"A great opportunity to bring about
Industrial peace and the hearty coop
Grafton of the employers and the en-
ployes has been lost by the policy of
the board to equitably and justly set
tie the questions involved. We be-
lieve the public is greatly interested
in the safe and proper operation of
the railroads and we had hoped that,
/ by this award, the question Of wages
and working conditions would be set
tied and laid to rest for several years;
but to expect such condition when
the finding of the board becomes pub
lie is hopeless
Arbitrators Burgess and Shea de-
clared that the methods pursued by
the board tended to uphold the prin-
ciple of making the offer work more
hours to get increased wages instead
of raising his rate per hour. They
said that if such a reactionary policy
is to continue they desired to voice
their disapproval of it, adding: For,
surely, no act by government tribunal
could more keenly bring home to
wage earners Of this country the con-
! sideration they might expect if boards
under Government control were to re-
view and adjust their wages and
working conditions on that basis"
And then this: I'VE believe that the
application of such theory brings us
back to the practices and conditions
of 200 years ago and if allowed to
flourish and grow will rapidly place
the American wage Garner in a con-
dition similar to that of the Mexican
peon."
That Chairman Pritchard was not
satisfied with the award was indicat-
ed by short memorandum he filed
with the board.
I'm my opinion the freight rates as
well as the yard rates for firemen and
engineers, agreed ulon by the board,
are not so high as they should be-, -
he said. Nevertheless, the rules as
respects weight on drivers, time con-
shutting days work, initial terminal
delay, and overtime, passenger rates
and other rules, accord to the men
substantial benefits which should not
be denied them"
Chairman Pritchard added in order
that the provisions of the award might
be put into effect and the men per-
mitted to enjoy the same, he conceiv-
ed it his duty to join in signing the
| award.
Arbitrators w. L. Park and H. E.
Byram, representing on the board the