Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-09-10
FARMERS FAVOR
FAIR WAGES FOR ALL
President Pope Says Trainmen
Already Draw More Pay
Than Any Other Glass.
FARM LABOR Is UNDERPAID

n. Pope, newly elected president OF
the Association of State Presidents
of the Farmers union, today gave
out the following statement further
defining the views of the organized
farmers on the eight-hour day law
recently enacted by congress.
THE farmers stand for fair wage
to both labor and capital engaged in
handling the products of the soil from
the time they leave the hands of the
farmer until they reach the ultimate
consumer. This applies not only to
transportation, but to all industries
engaged in serving the agricultural
interests of this nation. We favor
an eight-hour working day for all
those who labor, with as large COM
pensation as business conditions JUS
"For my part, I question the wis
dom Of congress fixing wages of labor
employed by private enterprises. l
doubt if it is in the interest of either
labor, capitol or the people to make
the wage schedule of railroad EN-
ployes a political issue.
But be that as it may, we have
passed that Legislative milepost and
organized labor now stands COM
initted to government regulation Of
wages and congress has thrust upon
the people of this nation a new re-
sponsibility. Since the people are to
fix wages, at least of railway en-
ployes, every citizen should diligently
study the subject.
Suggests Wage Scale. 49,.
"In my opinion, the next session
Of congress should readjust wages of
all railroad employees from railroad
president to section laborer, giving
all a square deal and fixing sched-
tile of pay based upon business justice
and human rights. | submit sched-
ule of wages taken from the official
government reports which present
conclusive evidence of the inequalities
of the present daily wage scale of
railway employees: General officers,
Soil; other officers, $6.49; general
office clerks, $253; station agents,
$2:37; other station men, $l99; en-
ginemen, -5.28; firemen, 1928; con-
ductors, $40; other trainmen, $3.1l;
shopmen, $2.37; trackmen, $l.59.
IF government is going to fix
wages for any one class of railroad
employees, 1t should fix them for all
classes, and if it has power to in
crease wages, it must also have the
power to decrease wages and congress
should review the comparative in
equalities between the different
classes Of railroad employees and make
such adjustments as wisdom dictates
and do it without fear or favor.
Trackmen Need More Pay.
81 want to make special plea for
the $4,000 section hands who walk
their beat in storm and rain and
whose Drawn and brain make possible
our great transportation systems.
Their compensation is not sufficient
to feed and clothe their families and
their bright-faced children are SEN
fenced by American civilization to
life Of ignorance and poverty. Next
to them is that class of underpaid
clerks, station employees, shopmen
and others whose loyalty and faith
fulness to the hand that feeds them
and whose consideration for the pub
lie welfare entities them to recogni-
ton by congress. These employees
are as important, as efficient and as
loyal as many of the higher waged
employees and their rights should be
reviewed by congress.
Farm Labor Prices Lower.
"And last, but by no means least,
there is one class Of citizens whose
condition is worse than that of the
most lowly laborer, and that is the
farmer. We have in this nation
6,500,000 farms, and they yield the
farmers who operate them, accord
ing to recent bulletin on farm in
come issued by the Federal Depart
nent of Agriculture, $l.47 per day,
out of which must be paid the liv-
ing expenses of the family. There are
4.500,000 male farm laborers in the
United States who make $l.35 per
day and 100000 women farm la
borers who make 70 cents per day
when they board themselves, and
out of this meager earning they must
care for those dependent upon them.
All those who work upon the farm
labor from twelve to fourteen hours
per day. The condition of women
laborers in the field today is worse
than it was during slavery. Then all
women working in the field were
black, and now approximately Is per
cent Of them are white. / quote from
a contract for a negro woman DUR
ing slavery as follows: ...
Twelve months after date we prom
t,,pdrnd dbiIara T;p ,otdN IL. ~, -.