The Washington herald., 1917-03-06

average ton mile reTenre received slightly les
than in 1915 being only .eo Of q cent per ton
mile Nhich IL les than 20 per cent OF the average
freight Ia;ss ps,d either the German or Frtncn
Roads in normal years and they have the addtional
advantage Il much lower wages. ta1es, and otne
Operating costs.
The number Of pa.rnEer rcreasd le per cent-
Passenger mileage IS Per cent pGsenseB per car
q per cent while Ias5enser train mileage increased
only per cent.
THE EIGHT HOUR LAW.
The employees in the train service on most OF tne
railroads in the United States submitted demands
through their labor organizations for eishthOur
basic day at the existing rates of pay. and time
and onehaH payments for all overtime In freight
and yard service. Although many Of the men in ne
t1in service do not work eight hours per day. this
reduction in the time constituting basic work day
meant in effect uuyustifiable increase ot pay for
most Of these employees. Couferences extending over
several months were held between the representatives
Of the rairoads and the trzinmens orEanizatious,
with the hope that By artttrstiOn. in which the
public would have been represented some reason
felt that compared with other mpScyment in
and out Of the Rihoad service, these men were
Literally treated. If not. in some casns. oEe1psid.
The tTainnen would not CONSENT to arbtrsnon, or
given in case the rsiluad refused to sccede 20
their demands. The trSnsportAuou service OF the
country was threatened with soppaSe at q tms
when industries in general had reached their geate
ssries Of life especially in the larger cities. were
absolutely dependent the continued operation
Of the steam railruad systems Il Is Questionable
whether many Of the men. especially thoe in your
scHice who have faithfully served the Company
for many years. would finally have deserted Their
positions Jet the untold suffering and disruption
Of business that would have resulted from the
execution Of this threat, made by the t-ainmen
through their leaders were 50 evident that the
Eight Hour Law" enacted by Congress in the
brief period Of few days The threatened strike
was arerted but in the hAsty proceedings leading
TO its enactment, the principle Of arbitration, as
the paramount and equitable method Of settling
labor disputes was sacrificed. not in the public
interest for the benefit Of q majority Of rail-
only q small percentage Of the total number. and
no action taken hy Congress to prevent or settle
future strikes.
This Law provides that beginning January l. 1917.
eight hours shall in contracts for labor and service
be deemed a days WORK. and the measure or
standard OF a days woEk. for the purpose Of reckon
ing compensation for employees engaged in the
operation q interstate trains and provides Com
mission OF three TO observe the effects Of the law
for q period Of from six to nine months and report
its findings 10 the President and Congress; but
1t also requires that pending the report OF the
Commission and for thirty days thereafter. the ex-
isting standard days wage shall be paid for
eight hour day and for overtime the employees shall
be raid no: !esS than the rro rata rate foT such
standard eight hour day. While wages increased
by its provisions. there is apparently nothing to
prevent an employe working or less than
eight hours per DAY. Your Management being unable
to satisfactorily interpret the proTiSons f the
law. and having grave doubts n to Its constitu-
tionalty has instituted pruceedinp to test its
validity in the Federxl Courts
The Fedeual and State laws and the public vel
fare require Railroad Companies TO render 4 con-
tinuous and adequate transpurtRtion service and
il should be equally obligatory that no disruption
Of that service from any be tolerated. There
fore in the public interest. which Is paramount,
future strikes lockouts should be prevented until
~ a. "A Nk.l,
ployes are first submitted to independent and In
partial review and arhtatiou-
FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION INQUIRY.
A Joint Congressional Committee has been an
pointed upon the Recommendation Of the President
to investigate the efficiency Of the existing system
Of public regulation in protecting the rights Of
shippers and carriers. and in prOnotinE the public
Interest.
The Railroads will assist this investigation, and
have already submitted evidence that the present.
system of Federal and State regulation is incon-
sistcHt. confusing and wasteful. They have, there
fore requested consideration Of q program. which,
in substance covers
!. Federal supervision Of the issue Of railroad
securities;
.. Federal incorporation Of interstate railroads;
5. Exclusive Federal regulation Of rates;
T. regional and functional division Of the work
CT the Interstate Commerce Commission:
5. Rost1icting rate SUSPENSIONS by the Commission
TO not more than sixty DAYS;
6. Giving the Interstate Commerce Commission
the power to prescribe minimum as well as maximum
rates.
The aim Of constructive legislation should be to
allow the railroads 10 conduct the transportation
service under sch conditions viii preserve their
credit so that they at all times efficiently and
ecpnomcRly carry the commerce Of the Country,
and he its most available and effective instruments
for National defense Under the existing conflicting
systems Of public regulation ey the Federal and
state GOVERNMENTS the railroads have not been
allowed to earn sufficient profits to place them In
that position and therefore. there las been a
serious decline in constructing mileage new
squirnent and sufficient facilities 10 accommodate
the shirlers and the public. With the Increased
traffic in the past eisl:sen months this condition