The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-21
HARAHAN'S STATEMENT

w. j. Harahan, president of the Sea-
board Air Line, issued a statement ex-
planning the application of the 12%-
mile an hour guaranteed speed basis
on the Seaboard, one of the southeast
ern roads frequently mentioned as u.s.
ing the system. He said the basis was
IN effect only in through freight sery-
ice, affecting but SO per cent of the
roads employees involved in the present
dispute; that it had proved very ex-
pensive and had not served to decrease
the working hours of the men, but
only to give them overtime pay The
statement follows:
I'm the 12h -mile-per-hour euaran
teed speed basis, otherwise designated
as the eight-hour basic day, has proven
very costly to the southeastern roads.
which apply 1T in through freight serv-
ice, though this involves less than SO
per cent of the men in the present
wage movement, and will stand to have
their operating expenses greatly in
creased if the 12h -mi1e-per- hour basis
is extended to include the men in local
freight service. on branch lines and
in yard service.
THE Seaboard Air Line has been re-
ferred to as among number of south
eastern roads now applying the guaran-
teed 124 -miles-per- speed basis"
said Mr.. Harahan, but this is cor
rect only as regards the men in through
freight service, who constitute less
than 90 per cent of the men on our
line taking part In the present wage
local freight or branch line service now
have the guaranteed 1914 mile per-
hour basis. The wages of all these
men have been adjusted on the basis
now In effect and a change to the 12h :
mile basis would mean an increase in
wages of 20 per cent or more for all
OF them. 1 understand that similar
conditions prevail on the other south
eastern lines. where the 1914 mile ba-
Sis apples IN through freight service.
is VERY EXPENSIVE Il
Where the 1214 mile basis is in eff
feet on the Seaboard--in through
freight service--it is proving very ex-
pensive to us, our overtime payments
having grown rapidly as our business
mas increased. 1t has not served to
decrease the working hours of the men
put merely to give them higher wages.
The 12h mile basis was adopted In
through freight service many years ago
when the territory through which we
ran was undeveloped and we had a gem
orally light tonnage, a very important
part of which consisted of perisha bles
on which fast time had to be made and
WHiSH, loT Lndt reason, carried rela-
lively high rates. With the develop
ment of our territory, our percentage
OF heavy freight, carried at lower rates.
has increased rapidly. To move this
heavier freight economically and to
avoid congestion on our single track
line, 1T has been necessary to increase
our train load and in doing this on a
IL mile speed basis we have had to
make heavy overtime payments. To
have run lighter trains, and conse-
quently more trains. would have meant
even greater overtime payments on
account of congestion occasioned by
such methods
ON some Of our lines where the
traffic is still largely made up of per-
inshables, we are able to make the
II mile speed and avoid the payment
OF overtime. but on our main stem,
where conditions more nearly approach
those prevailing on the majority Of the
roads throughout the country, the 12k-
mile-per-hour speed basis has proven
very costly to u.s.. has not shortened
the working day of the men, but has
only served to increase their wages"