Crittenden record-press., 1916-05-18
CRISIS FOR ROADS
IN THE MOVEMENT
FORH|GRER WAGES
Would Add Millions to Expenses VI
Southeastern Lines-Publle
VtalIy Interested

Of the southeast are facing a critical
situation In the proposed demands OF
the engineers, hiremen's, conductors
and trainmen's Brotherhoods "hlch
have Joined In nationwide enort 10
force the railways Of the country 10
grant further wage CONCESSIONS
which would add millions OF dollars
to the payrolls OF the railways win
out enabling them to earn a cent
more than under present conditions
or to in any way give better service
to the public declares a statement
given out by the executive committee
OF the southeastern railways.
The demands Of the BrotheThoods
are generally referred to as demands
for an eight hour day and time and
a half Tor overtime but they are not
in reality for an cigh, hour day IN
the sense In which that term is com.
monty understood" the statement
continues. The employees eGnoi
asking that they be relieved from
service al the end Of eight hours, a.
/ they realize that this B. not praoti'
cable In road service. and the form in
which the demands have teen made
clearly shows this
More Pay For Overtime
Thus the lanruagc Of their own
proposed demands Ia that ou runs ut
one hundred miles or less overtime
will begin at the expiration q eight
hours This simply means that u a
freight train requires. as II usually
does, at least a. hours 10 run luI
miles, the train and engine employees
shall receive their days pay Tor cigh,
hours Of work and shall receive time
and half for the two additional
hours.
There Is not a lire 10 the pro.
posals concerning road service that
In any way limits the number Of
hours the employees are 10 work.
and their proposition simply resolves
Itself into fixing the period az which
overtime begins 10 accrue and after
which they shall receive time and %
half instead Of their rcsular hourly
rate.
In discussion Of the proposed
demands In the ofao!al Journal oi the
Trainmen's organization. the follow
ing explanation Of The demand. b.
given By one o. the ylocprysilen's
Of that Brotherhood
There appears to De- some dlaor
euCe ot op.gi1n as to What such a
proposal Involves. therefore f uHf ''
scasOnatlc 90 fay that there l. 4.
difference lcta,yu au g.lfl..I
work-day and an ,IgathOuI basic
] WOrkdHy.
The lrst contemplate chat pi.i.
huurs shall be- o., UlN.LIa uCrtI..
time, al1 as rule where fh. C.-'
I tuIr vOrk.day Obtain. ttHr.i g..
Iu.t relations between ,un..fU. arI
| employee. u b. On. constant t...tH.f
| tu prevent working Overtime ,EiUIf
in cases NJ necessity n uI...r I.A'
some 20 the Iou IU '.' '... ..r....
are Oi the uplniU. iNrf '.I. b. .U
proposal oi th, OrlaUI .gII.r How
ever. this T. not tle A., The ...
| und. 'he o,rh'hogT tl.I. W.r.4t.
| contemplate that D.H.t lU... .f.
/ Boz the hasi. Tor 70 aaH. work u.I
any time in exec. thereof .LuU Dol
paid Tor us overtime ...rgr'Ir
under such provision There o. iu
limit 90 the hour worked It, l.i
ter system is il, .l, Ir. ,I .r
thr train service RrTh.r...f. Hrl
D., iu accord with fiU action i.t.r N
The delDghtrs, no t.o EID.r' ' H.H
rlRl Convention OF M, U"...,fh".I
% Railroad TAIrlpr
sare Work More Money
The proposals. of th. employees
as IN reality formulated and official
ly explained iu thc ahry, citation
, simply near that they .lall ho paid
more money than Of prs.ut t0r NJ.
same work 'ey are nov doue Th,
matter, therefore. rcs0lycs itscIi
primarily into a question of vasc.
and consequently ot increased cost
"Applying the proposed demand.
90 the present conditions 0f work
would mean an Increase muEag from
- 10 30 per cent iD cost. as tho road.
would be compelled In most cases Ia
continue the present hours Of uppra
tions since changes 10 escape th,
/ payment of overtime would cause a
higher percentage of increase than
the figures already given
"The railways of the southeast ar,
In no condition 10 stand any incroas,
in their operating expenses. muci
less such increases a. would result
from granting these demands. They
, aseady pay higher WAGES 10 train
and engine employees than are paid
In other sections Of the cusnir,
, where traffic Is much more dense
and they have had no part IN N,
rate increases which recently hay,
been granted by the Interstate Com
merce Commission to railways IN 9th
er territories.
Preliminary estimates show that
on some lines the increases asked n,
the employees would more than win,
out all income after payment of
operating expenses. dxcd charge,
and taxes. The railwss would b,
forced either to secure increases IN
their rates or TO lever their cost OF
operation by cWtaIlment Of train ser
vice and reducing the outlay Cor main