Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-08-07
WHAT THE TRA|NMEN
DEMAND OF ROADS
Statement Of Situation Made
by Iowa Paper and In
dorsed by Them

The railway managers are flooding
the country with publicity regarding
the "increase in wages that is being
demanded by the members of the
four railway brothcrhoods who are
engaged in actual handling of trains,
1t seems the railroad managers can
not make an honest presentation of
this issue any more than they can of
the rate question, the question aof
the;r valuation, or their inside financ.
ing
The. railway employees are not ask
ing for an advance Of wages. In
fact they are asking for the adoption
of plan. that will decrease the in
come of many of them. They are
asking for an eight hour day, instead
of being compelled to stay out on the
rr4 from l2 to lG hours.
/. Their argument in favor of this
change is rcascrabie. They say that
passenger trainmen and fast freight
trainmen would not be materially af-
fected by such rule as few of them
are now on the road more than eight
hours. The men who would be af-
fected are the trainmen who handle
"dead" freight trains. These men
are on the road usually the limit per-
mitted by the federal laws-16 hours
and often longer than that before
they get back to their homes. Their
expenses on the road must come out
physical and mental effect upon men
of their own wages.
The greatest evil, however, is the
4lnA L. al II 7
no argument to prove that after eight
or 10 hours continuous strain, one s
physical and mental activities get
sluggish. 1t is during these periods,
say trainmen, that wrecks most fire.
quently occur; and then the railroad
arrangements. blame it on to the
carelesshess of the railroad EN-
ployes.
Even the traveller in the Pullman
gets tired after 10 hour ride during
the day. But the man in the engine
cab must keep fresh; he must keep
his mental activities keen for he must
see every signal, keep in mind every
order, and when he enters railroad
yard must know just what every one
of all the way from 80 to 300 switch
signal and block lights mean, and if
they are as they should be to guaran.
tee him clear track. Yet eye fatigue
is one of the first symptoms aud re-
suits of long hours of work, and men
tai dullness comes a close second
"Safety first for the travelling public
/ demands that men on railroads be not
overworked.
There is yet another side-onC
which affects the commercial side OF
railroading. Why are some freight
trains handled with such speed that
men who handle them are not on theii
runs over eight hours, while other
| freight trains hauled with the same
class of motive power and over the
clearing one division9 Why is 6
carload of fruit from 60 to ~ hours
coming from New Orleans to Sioux
City. while carload of other freight
is three to four weeks?
! Trainmen say the railroads so over
! load "dead" freight trains that they
cannot make their time. This is done
in order to increase the railroad ,,
! profit. This is why the trainmen who
handle these trains must clay out - on
sidings and at way stations, and be
on their run II to l6 hours.
Trainmcn also offer the hint to the
shipper that if the eight hour law
goes into effect, it will solve tn,
| freight car famine to a great extent
! Railroads will then speed up theil
freight schedule, in order to avoid
overtime wages, and freight ears viii
be rushed TO their destination and un
loaded instead of ding.donging along
on the road for weeks.-SouX City
Iowa. Tribune.