New-York tribune., 1916-07-18

bic confederation. c. C. cowisy. chair
man Of the Tslsgrsphsrs' Union on the
Nickel Plate" read, came 10 the hear
Ing armed with . comparative state
msnt Of the wages Of school tsschers,
bank clerks, store and factory workers,
lnborers. etc, along . part OF the
Nickel Plate He informed the srbi-
traitors that the average wage Of the
teachers, who enjoy the extensive
time-of privileges, without the rail-
road pass TO New York, was ts5 TO
500 a month; Of laborers, 50 to $3.50
day; Of railroad telegraphers, S72.24
q month. These he placed in evidence.
Timothy W. Evans. assistant general
manager of the New York Central
Lines east OF Buffalo, called attention
to the seniority rule in making promo
tions. This aroused Mr.. Perham. who
contended that the rule need not be
enforced unless the management saw
fit. In answering the suggestions OF
Mr.. Evans he said that the telegraphers
sought merely to prevent the appoint
ment to preferred positions Of rela.
tves Of big shippers or the sons OF
stockholders.
"Does the seniority rule hold for
school teachers, bank clerks. common
iaborers. etc. ?" inquired Mr.. Evans.
Mr.. Cowley doubted whether such per-
sons received that inducement.
"Take this bank clerk" continued
Mr.. Evans. Suppose he wants TO come
to New York. Does he have to pay his
own railroad fare?'
"I guess he does" observed Mr.. Cow
ley. a.,
"Well, then" asked Mr.. Evans, "if
the telegrapher wants to come TO New
York he doesn't have TO pay his fare,
does he?"
mo" said the witness.
Mr. Cowley declared emphatically
that the services OF common iaoorer
could not be compared TO those OF =
railroad telegrapher. who might only
work four of his ten hours. Further
more. Mr.. Cowley did consider that
telegrapher's work was more important
than that Of a bank clerk and more re-
sposible than that of the teacher who
had TO pay her fare.
II was then that Mr.. Perham OBJ
served that it was impossible to figure
out a school teachers worth in dollars
and cents, and cited the case OF thf
two telegraphers sending sl5 worth oi
dots and dashes, but not getting the
suppostitious 81 an hour pay.
To Sum Up To-day.
It was expected that yesterday would
conclude the sessions of the Federa
arbitration board sitting on the teleg
raphers' wage matter, but the schoo
teachers, Rule No. 10 and other thing'
delayed the programme. The board
learned in the morning that since ths
telegraphers on the Central lines asked
for Is per cent wage increase las'
November the company had raised the
wages Of the men working west or Dut
falo about or per cent. Mr.. Perhan
charged that the raise was an attempt
to mollify the men without complying
with the telegraphers' full demands.
In the afternoon Mr.. Perham re
opened the telegraphers' side TO pre-
sent a dozen exhibits Of comparative
tables of vacation privileges granted by
about twenty roads and telegraphers
exemptions from tending TO switch
lights, pumps, gates and other para
phernalia granted by about forty-fv'
other railroads. Mr.. Evans retaliateC
by presenting evidence Of large com
missions earned by the Central EN-
ployes and accusing the telegrapheri
of presenting one-sided tables. Th'
telegraphers maintained they ha,
simply patterned their methods afte
that of the railroads.
Both sides will sum up this morning