The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1916-05-05
The Railwoys uDd Their
Employees.
Editorial article In March Issue Of
Iron Trodesnon.

Let us start square in this discus
sion. The railroad interests repre-
SCENTS but a small minority fraction
Of the subscription and advertising
ends Of this publication. Iron
Tradesman, therefore. holds no brief
for the railroads. 1t does. however,
owe a duty to the general public,
railroads included, which duty it is
trying to discharge with fidelity,
and with such ability as il possess
es.
In our January number some
salient facts we're presented as to
the railrosds and the public. No
man has 50 far ventured to contra
dict the statements made in that
presentation, or argue our conclus-
ion unsound. The present agitation
in the four great organizations Of
railroad engine and trainmen, brings
out another angle Of this great and
vital question in our economic life.
Railroad engine and trainnlen are
the best paid men Of the labor
world. This statement cannot be
successfully disputed.
But this Is not all--durine the
lean years, when the shop men
were put on half time third time
and sometimes no time--when mil
lions of unemployed men hunted
despairinely for work 1.-The older
railroad engine and trainmen held
their jobs, did their work regularly
and got their regular way.
1t is entirely fair to say that the
engine and trainmen suffered less
from evil times than any other class
Of working men.
General improvement in business
conditions has brought a little meas
pre Of prosperity to the railroads,
the short time men are back at
work and every department has
been quickened by this new life.
This means that the accumulated
shop work is being cared for, that
new equipment and new rails are
being bought, and that every one
connected with the railroad interest,
or touched by # Is doing well.
! The railroads claim. and give fig
ures to prove it; that to grant the
demands Of the engine and train
men would increase the operating
expenses $60,000,000 to 100000
600 per year, and that it simply
cannot be done without disaster.
Is that true? Iron Tradesman is
constrained to. believe that it is true.
Let us investigate a little. There
are probably, at this writing, 1,800,-
900 men connected with railroads
in some capacity It us estimated
that 100000 Of these are connected
with the four engine and trainmen's
organizations, and these are the best
paid men, The fixing of an 8-hour
day as the basis Of pay and the
consequent increase in the pay roll
would add a tremendous burden to
the railroads now just emerging
from a period Of distressingly small
earnings.
But this is only one phase OF the
matter, it means an immediate de-
crease in the purchasing power Of
the roads and this will quickly re-
act on other business, which in turn
will react on transportation, and
tnen it will be back to the doldrums
for the railroads.
What about the 100000 men
who are to have no share in this in
crease? They have been greater
sufferers than the engine and train
men during the lean years. Even
thesengine and trainmen must ad-
init that if every one Of the 1900
600 should have an increase proper
toned to that demanded by the
trainmen it would Immediately and
greatly increase the number Of re-
ceiverships.
Are they not as much entitled to
1t as the engine and trainmenY If
the roads were able to pay the in
crease, which they are not fairly
able to do, it spells discrimination
favor Of one class Of employees.
What then becomes Of the much
talked Of sympathy between work
ing men; Of the cooperative spirit?
Does this indicate that these
trainmen care nothing for their fel-
low workmen in other departments
Of the work, and equally care moth
\ ing for the interests Of the common
employer?
Their action gives color to this
supposition, and if this be really
tue, it shows that the spirit Of ex-
ploitation, which we had hoped was
confined to a small minority Of hui
man hogs, has become widespread,
and forbodes i'll for the general well
fare.
The writer has for thirty years
been in full sympathy with the men