New Britain herald., 1915-03-29
FILE BRIEFS IN WESTERN
 RAILROAD WAGE CASE
Oral Argument Begun Decision
 Expected by April 20h.

Chicago, March 2s.-Briefs in the western railroad wage case were filed with the board of arbitration today by. James M. Sheean, attorney for the roads, and by William S. Carter, pres ident of the Brotherhood of Locomo- tive Bremen and Enginemen Oral argument was begun and was expect ed to last two, and possibly three days. Decision by the board on the demands of the men for higher wages and other concessions will be made on or before April 20, and will affect 63,OO0 engineers, f1remen and ~hostlers em- ployed by ninety eight western rail- roads operating 14o0o0 miles of track.
 MT. Sheean's brief asserted that the men failed utterly to establish their contention that their labors and re- responsibilities and their productive ef- ficiency have increased since their wages were adjusted by arbitration in 1910, nor, said tne brief. had they made good their claim that their earn ings, despite a higher rate, had been decreased in this period. Their con- tentions, Mir. Sheean said, had not been proven by their own exhibits and had been disproved by actual records quoted in the railroad ex- hibits
 Exhibit Not Controverted.
 The increased productivity of the railroads was said in the brief to have been due, not to any increased eff fort of the men, but to stringent economies in operation, and the ex- penditure of s660,oo0,0 ,0o0 in exten- sions, additions and improvements to property, including heavier power and the reduction of curves and grades. Of this sum $220,0o0.O00 was spent for the purpose of increasing ef1i- ciency and safety, and to expedite train movements. These improve ments, MT. Sheean said, have actual ly enabled the enginemen to earn their money in fewer hours than prior to 191O Bremen, ne said, actually shovel five per cent less coal now than in the previous period. He said that the railroad exhibit showing that to grant the sixteen demands of the men would cost $41 100000 a year had not been controverted. He point ed out the decreased dividend pay ments of recent years and to the in- creasing use of labor-saving devices on engines He referred to the high earnings attained by some engineers and firerr1en, and asserted the bulk of the engineers average between $170 and $1SO a month. and firmen be- tween $110 and s115.
 The brief claimed that these pay roll figures demonstrated that the present sch edu1es provide full. fair and adequate pay, whether meas ured by comparison with other trades, by comparison with other railroad employees who have like duties and responsibilities, or by comparison with engineers and fire1nen of the east or the south. and in making this claim directed attention to the fact that these payroll figures had not been contradicted by the employees whose names appeared thereon, not withstanding the fact that during the hearing. while the railroad exhibits were being introduced, Mir. Carter stated to the board of arbitration:
 II have reached the conclusion that our case is lost if we treat the exhibits of the railroads too serious ly.''
 Divided Into Nine Chapters.
 MT. Carter's brief was divided into nine chapters, as follows:
 Standardization of rates of wages; the sixteen propositions submitted to arbitration; earning possibilities under existing rates and rules, economic eff feet of the increased cost of living; requisite qualifications of locomotive engineers and firemen; increased work and productive efficiency of engineers and firemen; ability of the roads to pay the increases requested> and the future outlook
 Standardization of rules and rates of pay, as proposed. the brief con tended. would be helpful to employees and railroads alike, though giving the men only a living wage.
 Fancy Priced Runs.
 tIt has been shown said MT. Car ter, that only the veterans in ser vice who have survived the dangers and hardships of years of service, can and do get the fancy-priced runs"