Bisbee daily review., 1916-04-08
THE GRAVE SALVATION CONFRONTING THE
RAILROADS.

service employees and the replies presented to them by she individual railways w Higgins, executive ary of the Association of Western Railways made the following statement:
 Speaking purely individually say that in judgment present situation of the graves which as confronted the railroad managers of the nation To comply with the demands which the tranmen make would mean an added cost operation of something like s1OO OGOOOO per annum and this shock coming at time when onesixh of the railroad mileage the is in the hands of receivers would be than the carriers could stand. You get pretty good idea of what the demands when tell you that to grant them would be to sweep away at stroke than twice much money the railroads have derived or from the granted by the In commission during the last year and half
 that been apprecabe increase in railroad during last six eight months but as H aptly declared in New York the other day these increases are largely altogether due to the large export business. They do not represent wholesome dependable domestic activity, and the European to end there is every reason to believe that there will be enormous falling off in railroad incomes. Furthermore with the recent in crease in earnings the percentage of net return pro perty investment in the last six months of 1915 was less than in 1912.
 Have the railroad officials of the country the right to grant such request and assume such tremendous burden of increased cost of operation at the simple mand some SOOOO0 men, who already the best pai employees in the field of American labor and who repre- sent less than onefth of the army of million an@ hreequarers of people employed by the carriers? Is ii not the general American public which the end must the bill entitled consideration? The rail roads way getting money except as the people pay for service. If they agree to this den add one hundred million dollars their year ly cost operation they any other open except to ask the Interstate Commission to give new increase in revenues sufficient cover it? The thought want to convey thatthe railroad tives Of the nation very profound obligation not only to those whose money is invested in their proper ties but obligation equally profound to the pubic from which they derive their incomes and which they should seek protect against any unfair tribute much they should be anxious do the rightthing by the ployees they ask for more revenues with which to these continuous assaults upon their reasurie the people object On the other hand if they grant these continuous demands there ever before them menace of strike
 AS stated above, the trainmen who back of the present demands constitute less than onefth of the plOyes of American railroads, and they already the best paid workmen of the nation We just emerg ing from of the business depressions in our history-and this coupled with the fact that may Dect at any moment be compelled to the set back which is certain the conclusion of the European Furthermore the railroads have given and constantly giving square deal to their em- ployees As evidence of this fact within the past weeks large number of roads have granted voluntary advances to many of their employees who in the judg
 of the managements entitled it. But there great many more, who have yet been taken And this with present demands of the tranmen who, by of their organizations have in times past forced the carriers give them their just share of the remuneration Once reve permit it, there a million and half other em 1oyees the ayros of the railroads who entitled first consideration.
 The fact that the railroad brotherhoods have refused deal with the individual lines and systems but d cctfng their demands the carriers a whole shows hat the railroad problem is becoming more iona in it's scope and character rather than local-a toward which the employees and other influences driving it, despite the feelings preferences of the
 different railroad homogeneous Acting in this way these undoubtedly have the power mp every railroad n the United should they exercise is indeed a very grave situation
 What action the of the railroads will talk,
 meeting the demands Of the engnemen's and train lens organizations say. The is now il ne hands of the various railroad and
 ithin my province to speak them due time they ill., no doubt make known their method of procedur,