Arizona republican., 1918-05-27
TWO MILLION LIN
 RAILROADS WILL JET MORE WAGES
Recommendations Carried Out By McAdoo; Increase Will Amount to At Least
 Three Hundred Million
Inopubliean A. p. Leased Wirel


 pay increases for nearly two million railroad employees were announced to- day by Director General McAdoo, et- tcctivc next Saturday and retroactive Co last January |, carrying out sub stuntially the recommendations or the railroad wage commission. The az grcgatc of the increases probably will he more than $500. 100000 d year, half of which will be distributed within a few weeks as back pay in lump sums ranging from about $l00 10 nearly $2OO each.
 The director general departed from the wage commissions recommenda- ton in the following particulars: The principle of the basic eight hour day is recognized but owing to the eXigencies of the war situation, hours of employ mcnt are not actually reduced and overtime is to be paid pro rata; future adjustments of pay arc 10 be made on the basis of eight hours.
 In addition to the ordinary scale of increases, day laborers, employed mainly on track work, are 10 get at least 2ia cents an hour more than they received last December 3l.
 X minimum of 55 cents an hour ;- established for the shop trades, includ- mc machinists, boilermakers and blacksmiths: and women arc to re- CciVe the same pay as men for the same work. and negroes are to get the same as white men for similar em- ploymeut.
 To work out a multitude of inequali- ties of pay among employees doing similar work in different localities and other iniustices caused by varying rules of employment and condition of 7fyr4 na I ated new board of railroad wages and working conditions. consisting of three labor representatives and three railway executives. which will conduct extensive investigations and recom- mend wage and other employment changes.
 All increase now ordered will be de- tcrmincd according 10 percentage scale based on pay received in December 1915. and any increases which have been allowed within that time will be deducted. In many cases raises in pay in the last two and q half years are about equal to the increases now approved and consequently those en- ploycs will get little or no more. To correct just such situations when in- justices are apparent will be one of the principal duties of the new wage VI by the railroad wage commission.
 Tn no cases are wages to be reduced.
 Men working on the monthly daily hourly. piece work and train mile basis win benefit by the new allowances. and members of the four leading brother hoods whose pay was raised through operation of the Atkinson act are to receive rom 10 10 70 per cent addi- tional, @ smaller increase than they had asked of the railroads shortly be- fore the government took control.
 The wage order applies 10 all em- ployes of the lGi roads now under federal management, but not to the so-callcd short lines unless they arc retained by the government aftei July 1. lt affects employees of term inal, union station and switching companies, lighters. ferries and tugs owned by railroads but not employe; of railroad boat lines on the lakes rivers or coastwise traffic. Althougi Pullman cars now are under govern ment operation, Pullman employe: Will not benefit unless the railroad administration decides eventually {, retain management of the cars.
 Forget Dissensions''
 In announcing his decision, lIr. Nc. Adoo appealed to railroad employe! To forget disscnsions and disappoint. meuts arising under private contrU and Co remember that the success O the war depends largely on thei services
 To meet the expense of the was' increase, the biggest ever granted {, railroad or any other class of em ployes at one time. the railroad ad ministration has discussed raislnl freight and passenger rates.
 The percentages of wage increase range from S4S for men who received Si6 a month in December 1915, dowi to a small rate for those receiving just under $250. and no more pay | allowed men who made s25O or nor in 1915. The actual additions rui up Co s34.
 With the exception of office ant messenger boys under IS. who arr given smaller increases, all employe who received less than si6 montl are given a flat increase of $20 witt the provision that laborers paid h, the day shall get a minimum of 2I Cents an hour above the rate si, months ago.
 Not An Increase
 An important principle contained il lut ulIttlNI EtHtIdl Oluer IS Una reductions in hours since 1915 are no 10 be regarded as increases in pay This means that employees of the fou brotherhoods affected by the Adam son act are to receive additions O top of the increases developed b hat act.
 For instance, an engineer who mad S4 a day working ten hours in l91 may have had his pay increased { S5 for the same number of hour under the Adamson act. But for tn purposes of applying the new seal, the S5 is considered as si a day C eight hours with $1 for two hour overtime. Consequently. the pay wi be increased on the basis of s4 day. and overtime will be paid at tn same rate of increase.
 On this principle train employe including members of the leadin brotherhoods. will receive approx mately the following proportional in creases over 1915 pay, or their equivs lent when pay is based on miles or erated Passenger engineers. II D, cent passenger fremen and helper 2S per cent; passenger conductors,