The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-12-24

WIN AND LOSE
IN THE AWARD
Get More an Hour but Less Z
Day if They Work but
EIGHT Hours.

NEW YORK, Dec. 23-An eight
lhour day, an increase in wages of
five cents an hour. and straight pro-
rata overtime, was granted to the
ImeInbersof the Switchmen's Union
lemployed by thirteen eastern and
middle western railroads in an award
filed here today by the federal board
of arbitration that heard their differ
ences.
The decision of the board had been
Eagerly awaited by the railroads in
general and the four major brother
hoods of railroad trainmen for what
bearing it might have on the contro-
Hversy between them over the Adam
son act, in which the eight hour day
! is q question at issue. The decision
today in the switchmen's favor says
that "eight hours or less can consti-
tute day'sYw work. = gives AN increase
of five cents an hour on the present
rates of pay" and rules that over
time shall be paid ut pro-rata rates, I"
to be computed " on the basis OF the
actual minutes worked"
Switchmen at present receive a
maximum hourly rate of forty cents.
The award increases this rate to
forty-f1ve cents SO that, as explained
tonight by Judge harles B. Howery,
chairman OF the board, on the eight
uOur 5udSlbst lHeyt W IL ESSSlNS42 O.oOg AO4
days work, forty cents less than
they received under the ten hour
basis By working ten hours under
the new rate, they will receive $3.50.
or fifty cents more than under the
old rate.
IN statement appended to the
award by Judge Howery and Pro
fessor Jeremiah w. jerks, the new
members of the board OF six, it is de-
clared that the long hours of switch
men do not imply Excessive physical.
labor" that it has been established
1T Will not be possible to make the
fective in the case Of more than a
small percentage of the switching.
crews,'' and that with the excep-
ton of one experiment.. the testimony
was unanimo Gus to the effect that the
efficiency of switchmen on the shorter
work day would be only slightly In.
creased SO that the burden of the
shorter hours would fall almost en-
tirely upon the railroads"
While the switchmen asked for a
ten-cent increase the statement em-
phasizes the point that the fye-cent
advance Is the largest given in any
arbitration. The increase was grant
ed. the arbttrators exp ained. because
Of the high cost of living and the.
hazards and hardships of the work.
The increase they state: ''im-
poses a heavy burden upon the rail-
roads which, owing to the Interstate
commerce law they are unable to
transfer to the shippers and<thence
to the public
Theyiadd that lis the duty of the
properly constituted governmental
authorities to protect railway inter
ests in this regard, so far as It is nee
essary.''
The arbitrators were not unani-
nous In arriving at their declaration
althouRh six signed the award.
James b. Connors. of Chicago. assist
and president OF the Switchmen'si
Union, and w. "a. Titus, OF Cleveland,
vice president of the union; who rep
resented the chmenton the board, ]
fled a. minority report, dissenting
from the awards of the i've cents an
hour increase and the pro-rata oyers
time. p. r.. Potter, OF Minneapolis
assistant general manGger Of the AIIns