Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-07-12
WAGES NO BEARING
ON INCREASED Rates
Interstate Commerce Commits
sion Made Thoro |nveSti-
cation Recently.
Cleveland, Ohio, July II, 1916.


Anything for delay, Is the plan OF
the railroads in dealing with the de-
mand Of the employees for an eight
hour day is charged in a statement
issued today by the Transportation
Brotherhoods.
Railroads are spending hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars to ask the public
for their support on a proposition to
refer the controversy to the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
The public should know that the
Interstate Commerce Commission on
ly very recently and on two different
occasions, have reported at some
length AMI in considerable detail up
on this very question. Its reports
comprehend two wide spread investi-
cations since 1910 and are the result
of attempts on the part Of the rail-
roads to make use of increases in
wages to induce the Commission to
give its consent to increases in freight
rates.
gone into by the Commission with
much care and in great detail.
The railways we're fully represented
by counsel and large numbers Of wit
nesses testified in their behalf.
Eminent counsel appeared in behalf
of the opposition to the roads.
The attorney of the Commission al
so participated in the proceedings and
prepared and presented for considera-
ton, a great mass Of statistical infor-
nation.
After a full hearing Of the investi-
cation upon all the facts and circum-
stances, the Commission held that
there was no evidence before it which
established the necessity for high
rates.
And again in 1914 the same elabor.
ate and thorough investigation into
the subject of wages as having bear
ing on the necessity for increased
rates, was held.
This federal tribunal said, lit is in
teresting to note that notwithstand
ing, wages constitute a large part OF
the Transportation expense, this item
of expense has shown a relatively
groups"
The Commission called attention tc
the fact that efficiency Of operation
and management are the most import
ant things in the reduction of operat
ing expenses, and, as an illustration
the Commission cited the statement
tive Power of the Pennsylvania Rail
MI ihn If h,1i16
ing locomotives between 1903 anl
1913, although the rate of wages in
creased nearly 40 per cent.
The official utterances Of the Inter
state Commerce Commission answer
authoritatively, questions raised BY
the railroads In their opposition to thu
present movement of the railway Bro
therhoods for an eight-hour work day
for employees in freight train service
These questions have been raised
by the railroads and, by the roads thru
the U. S. Chamber of Commerce, sole
ly to confuse and perplex the public
mind and In an endeavor to prevent
the American people from securing {
clear perspective Of the social an(
economic significance of the establish
ment of a shorter work day, for some
100000 train employees.
Railroad officials well know that thu
Interstate Commerce Commission ha
mo power to fix the rate of wages at
ter an investigation of the subject AM
the whole controversy would, after al
investigation, be in the same cond1
ton as it is at the present moment.
Should however, the 1nterstat
Commerce Commission recommen'
the granting of the demands of tn
employees, the Commission would au
tomatically be held responsible TO
any increase in operating expenses re
sulting from the granting of the dc
mands; therefore, would be compelled
to assent to an increased freight rat
which is perhaps the very thing tina
the railroads are trying to secure on
of this controversy.