The Washington times., 1916-02-21
Great Labor Struggle
Feared By Railroads
Managers of Companies Say They Have Reached
Point Where They Must Fight-Many Believe
Conflict Will Come at Once.
By GLEN B. wTNsHIP.

pears simple. Divide the total amount
paid TO enginemcn by the total number
Of eIglnemen and You find the averase
age yearly wage OF fremen was 81 o5J.--
63 9-b. OF conductors H,525.i3is. and OF
"trainmcn" H,0lg.Sfh..
that tire report os to the number o: en-
ployes docs not show the total num-
Der for the entire year nor the aver
age number. but the actual numfer on
one day Of the year-June 80
Unfortunately. complete figures cover
ing this point never have been as
semblod, but the problem need not Tor
that reason remain complete mystery
Actual Pay Roll Records.
In wage controversies It has been Gus
tomary to accept October reports a.
basis for argument. In the latest West
ern wage arbitration, statements were
produced based upon pay roll records
covering the entire month OF OCTOBER.
1917 All OF the Western roads were
embraced In the report.
ployed at any time during that monty
was 2S4t6 The average number OF
hours "a day was 10h, the average num-
Der Of days Il month was approximately
! g. 1-5, the average daily wage Wes
H72, and the average monthly waGs was
| 1851, or ut the rate Of N,7S5.32 year
! This report, II should be remembered
was based upon pay roll RECORDS ano
CARELESS OF how long he did work. and
| Il shows a greater average than the
| Interstate Commerce Commission nB-
ure, which was 81, 1858 40.
| More than 5000 of those men worked
only part time for one reason or an
other. OF the 2S446 enginemen on the
pay roiIs OF the various western roadi
In that month. 2.0B were regarded AZ
available for duty throughout IN;
month was s16O.9s. or at the rate Of
| 8, gyl.SS a year.
FROM these facts II would appear
that whatever the true average may
be, II Is not less than n.763. the hgur~
based on the Interstate Commerce Com
mission report,
II appears even more conservative
when II is realized that OF the 25,NS en-
ginCers, only All, or about 2-3 per cen
OF the total, received less than 500 II
the month, or at an indicated yearl,
rate OF $500 About the same numoe
received from $50 to $50 in the month
or at n yearly rate ot from 5000 .
from yrs 70 500, or at the yearly rat,
OF from s. 100 to 5000; more than $50
received from 500 to S225 In the month
} or at a yearly rate OF from 200 I,
sl75 to 500. or at the yearly rate o
from s., 100 to 81, 400; more than $500 re
ceived from $50 to Sl75 in the month
or at the yearly rate OF from 1880 Z
S2.lOO. and about 500 received fror
SIS to $50. or at the yearly rate o
, from 81, 200 to 81 800. At least NOR
than Sc per cent OF them received NOR
than the average indicated by the In
terstate Commerce Commission figure.
, Similar pay roll records showed tina
the average amount received In tina
month by f,remen was SS4.A. This In
ciuded all men. regardless Of how lon
they worked. eliminating those on pal
, time, the average was s100.63 This ind
Gated yearly average for all firemen G
S1,0l20S, and for fremen who worke
regularly 81. 207.56. The average for frt
men, based on the Interstate Commerce
Commission report. was $l,O3S.53 2-S.
! CThe second article in this series wi
he published tomorrow. Concrete info
, nation will be given showing what me
5 actually receive on various kinds
: runs" In the East. Then the questio
Of the ability OF the railroads to pa
: will be considered. and what thei
b. things may mean to the public0