Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-07-07
BROTHERHOODS
CHARGE ROADS
WITH DELAY PLAN

CLEVELAND, Ohio, July Amy
thing for delay, is the plan Of the rail,
roads in dealing with the demand q
the employees for an eight-hour day is
charged in statement issued today by
the Transportation Brotherhoods.
Railroads are spending hundreds Of
thousands of dollars to ask the public
for their support on proposition te
refer the controversy to the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
The public should know that the
Interstate Commerce Commission only
very recently and on two different oc.
casions, have reported at some length
and in considerable detail upon this
very question. It's reports comprehend
two wide spread Investigations since
1910 and are results of an attempt on
the part of the railroads to make use
OF increases in wages to induce the
Commission to give its consent to in
.creases in freight rates.
The whole subject Of wages was
gone into by the Commission with
much care and in great detail.
The railways were fully represent.
ed by counsel and large numbers of
witnesses testified in their behalf.
Eminent counsel appeared in behalf
Of the opposition to the roads.
The attorney Of the Commission also
participated in the proceedings anu
prepared and presented for considera-
tion, great mass of statistical infor-
nation.
After full hearing of the investi-
cation upon all the facts and circum-
stances, the Commission held there
was no evidence before it which estah-
lished 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, -'it is in
teresting to note that Notwithstanding
wages constitute large part of the
expense, this item of
expense has shown relatively small
advance as compared with other
groups
The Commission called attention to
the fact that efficiency Of operation
ard management are most important
things in the reduction Of operating
expenses, and. as an illustration, the
Commission cited the statement of the
General Superintendent Of Motive
Power of the Pennsylvania Railroad
who lessened the cost Of building loco
motives between 1903 and 1918, al
though the rate Of wages increased
nearly 40 per cent.
The official utterances of the inter-
state Commerce Commission answer
authoritatiyely, questions raised by
he railroads in their opposition to the
present movement Of the railway
for an eight-hour work
lay for employees in freight train
service.
Ihese questions nave been raised by /
he railroads and, by the roads through |
he y. S. Chamber of Comerce, solely
. confuse and perplex the public mind
nd in an endeayor to prevent the
american people from securing clear
perspective of the social and economic
ignifcance of the establishment of
horter work day, for some s5o,OO0
rain employees.
Railroad officials well know that
be Interstate Commerce Commission
as no power to fix the rate of wages
tter an investigation Of the subject
nd the whole controversy would, after
u investigation, be in the same con-
ition as it is at the present time
Should however, The Interstate Com