The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-04-11
The Railroad Wage Controversy.


Whether or not there is justice in the demand
OF the railway employees for an increase of wages
rs question that cannot be answered satisfac-
torily to both the companies and the men, though
the outcome of the controversy is not so great
as that of the public which, if the contentious of
the men prevail, must pay, in increased rates for
transportation, most of the $Ioo,ooo,ooo a year
which it is represented will be added to the operat-
ing expenses of the roads. For it is generally
conceded by all but the confirmed railroad baiters,
that the roads cannot be operated proftably under
any additional burdens The public therefore
should be keenly interested in the arguments and
statistics presented on either side of the con-
troversy
While it is generally known that railway en-
ployes among the best paid of American
wage-earners a statement concerning wages lust
issued by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany, will doubtless surprise the majority of those
who read it. Figures taken from its pay roll for
the month of October, 1915 representing the
wages received by the FIVE highest paid employees
in the different classes of service on the Balti.
more division, show that FIVE locomotive engi-
neers in passenger service earned from S23o.so to
S2oI.5o for the month; freight engineers from
S2I3.So to $I87.6s; yard engineers from SI654s to
SI47.5o; passenger conductors from $I7oos to
SI7o9o; freight conductors from $I74so to $Iso3o;
and yard conductors from $I37.Is to $I3o This
example of the compensation commanded by the
Of Oad ~
be equalled excelled by most of the other lines
as is indicated by figures taken from the annual
report of the Interstate Commerce Commission
for 1914, the last year for which statistics are
available. These show that the average yearly
pay of the 10000 employees of railroads who are
now demanding increases was $I,253.37, while the
average pay Of the 1881 900 other employees not
asking increase was $684.78. The average year
ly earnings OF engineers was $I77I.So; fremen,
$I,o374o; conductors, $r,533.62, and other train
men, $I.o23.26 The average of all wage-earners
in the United States according to government
reports, is $3.50 a year.
1t will not be denied that the duties of railroad
employees, the trainmen especially are exacting
and less conducive to health and happiness than
the work required of many other classes of wage
earners; but it is quite evident that these condi-
tions have been considered in the adjustment of
their compensation. 1t may be asserted that any
number of artisans even clerks would gladly
change places with the railroad men and endure
all their dscomforts in consideration of the
higher wages, but that would be beside the ques-
ton. The broad question involved in their de-
mands for increased wages is whether the service
they render the public is worth more than the
public is paying them. OF every dollar
paid by the people for railroad transportation O.
cents, it is estimated goes to labor, and the
railroads are positive in their contention that if
the employees to receive more then more dol
lars must be added to their revenues.
incidentally the lawmakers who are investi-
eating the subject of compensation paid by the
government to the employees in its Civil Service
may well take heed of the steady advance in rail-
road wages that, keeping pace with the rising
cost OF living, has carried them to the present
standard, while salaries Of workers for the gov
eminent have remained stationary for thirty wears
or more. The clerks can scarcely contemplate
without envy the scale of wages of the railroad
men, who are demanding more