Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-21
ROADS SPAR FOR
T|ME,MEN CLAIM
Proposition to Refer Wage Dispute to
Interstate Commerce Commission
Held a Ruse.
OPPOSED on LEGAL GROUNDS
Federal Body Not Equipped to Enter
Into Question, Is Position of
BrOtherhOOds.

Cleveland, Ohio. July 21-The fol-
lowing statement was issued today by
the transportation brotherhoods:
THE proposition of the railroads to
refer the demands of the railway
brotherhoods for an eight-hour day to
the interstate commerce commission
is nothing but a proposition TO gain
time for the railroads and to waste
time for the men.
The interstate commerce commits
sion is not now equipped to undertake
this task. In order to undertake it the
interstate commerce commission act
would have to be radically amended
by congress. Such an amendment
would require at least a month for
passage, and upon its passage several
months would be required before the
commission could eventually begin the
work thus imposed upon it.
Whatever may be the desirability of
empowering the interstate commerce
commission to handle wage disputes,
this is not the time to do it. The COM
mission is overburdened with duties
A bill has been pending before con-
gress, urgently advocated by the rail-
roads themselves, calling for an in
crease in the membership of the COM
cases already on its docket
"A resolution is now pending in the
house, after having been passed by the
senate, calling for an investigation by
joint committee of congress into the
need for railroad legislation, particu-
larly into the need for legislation af-
fecting the interstate commerce COM
mission This resolution was intro
duced at the request of the railroads
and for the express purpose of head
ing off any railroad legislation till a
comprehensive survey of the entire sit
uation should have been made. Rep
resentatives of the railroads have
urged this resolution for these reasons.
Yet now the railroads, forgetting
these arguments, and frightened at the
prospect of being forced to yield to the
brotherhoods. are demanding hasty
and ill-considered legislation, the first
effect of which would be to give them
an advantage in their dispute with
their employees.
THE commission only has authority
over rates, etc, on interstate traffic
and has no control over matters that
are wholly within a state.
If authority is conferred on the in
terstate commerce commission by con-
gress, to fix or exercise any control
over wages, it would only apply to en-
pIoyeS whose runs are from one state
to another.
See Bad Middle.
'Inasmuch as the bulk of trainmen
work wholly within a state it would
result in the worst muddle possible. A
few employees having their wages fixed
by the United States and the rest
standing just where they are now.
THE claim made by the railroads
that as the interstate commerce com
mission has authority over freight
over rates of pay, is clever and seem
ingly plausible argument, put forward
to secure public sympathy.
The interstate commerce commits
sion has always taken cOgnizance OF
wages or labor costs in passing upon
freight rates. One of the leading arg
uments of the railroads in making ap-
pIicatiOn for authority to advance their
employees have increased and as con-
sequence they should be permitted to
charge more for their services.
Elaborate statistical exhibits have
in all general rate cases been present
ed by the railroads to the commission
which set forth in great detail how
many dollars paid out in wages and
salaries now as compared with for
mer years. AS consequence the in
terstate commerce commission has al
ways passed on the question of the
relation of wages to freight and pas
senger rates, and to total operating
costs.