The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-07-22
DEBT Of RAILWAY
EFFECTS EMPLOYEES
Maladministration of New Haven
Has Left That System
Great Handicap.
ELLIOTT DISCUSSES
"MALADY OF RAILROADS"
Head of Wrecked Corporation
Says Trainmens' Demands Are
Made dt Wrong Time.

A pamphlet has been issued by
railroad officials entitled "The NAL
ady of the Railroads." by Howard
Elliott. president of the New York,
New Haven & Hartford railroad.
The employees admit that Mr.. Ell
lott is we'll qualified to speak with
authority on some phases of railway
maladies, Judging from certain recent
revelations about the former finan-
cial nlismanagement and wrecking Of
the road which he is now directing.
| Mr.. Elliott says: 1T is the present
and future which confront us. Let
the dead past bury it's Dead" There
must be many things of the past in
regard to the New Haven misman-
agement over which Mr.. Elliott
! would like to draw the veil and have
the public forget. especially the most
recent revelations.
However, the evils of the dead
past have saddled a load of debt on
the living present and when this
heavy burden is used as an argument
against fair wages and fair hours to
employees of the present time, we do
not forget this "past" of the New
Haven and of other roads that are so
strenuously opposing the movement
to better the condition of its en-
ployes
! The interstate commerce commits
sion says in a report on its research
Into the financial workings of the
New Haven system, that it ''disclosed
one Of the most glaring instances of
NAL administration revealed in all the
history of the American railroads"
! Losses of New Haven.
! A reasonable estimate of the loss of
the New Haven by reason alone OF
waste and mismanagement," the
commission places at an amount be-
tween $6O,O00,00O and $90,000,000.
For many year to come these
transactions are to be drain upon
the New Haven's resources and the
lebmpIoXes are expected. to do do con
| sAantly increasing labor without, q
corresponding increase in pay in or
der to make up this loot"
No wonder Mr.. Elliott would like
to have the public forget and "let
the dead past bury its dead" But
the ghost Of highly inflated "capital
securities cannot so easily be dis
posed Of.
Mr. Elliott presents statistics but
does not allow in these figures, for
the fact that the basis Of an eight
hour work day already exists on a
number Of railroads. He does not
allow for the fact that the demand
for an eight-hour day does not affect
khe hundreds Of thousands of train
employees in passenger service
Throughout the United States.
Much stress is laid by Mr.. Elliott
on the fact that only 1S per cent Of
the railway army now absorbs % per
cent of the railways payroll" He
fails to mention the very important
fact that this 18 per cent constitutes
the most skilled of the employees who
are bearing a greater responsibility
and running greater risks than any
other class of railway employees. It
would be just as convincing If Mr..
Elliott would show the large salaries
|received by a comparatively few
higher administrative officials as
icompared to the total expense of ad-
ministration along side of the numer-
Io,is lesser officials and clerks.
Poor time for Demands.
It is claimed by Mr.. Elliott that
this is a poor time to make demand
for an increase in pay.
If, in these prosperous times it is
q "poor time' the employees are at a
loss to know when would be a good
time. They were told early in the
year of 1915 by the Federal Arbitra-
tion board. that mo improvement in
their conditions of employment could
|be granted, because there was a de-