New-York tribune., 1918-05-09
p.oort Proposes Biggest
,,creases for Employees
nrawing Smallest Wages
rotal Is Placed
At $2S8,013,718
ucAdoo Expected to Make
Readjustments and Give
Decision in Ten Days

..,Ioves whose monthly pay in De-
..mber. 1915, was less than $3.50 a
-,rth have been recommended for
~,se increases by the Railroad Wage
Commission.
The recommendations, if adopted by
n;vee.or General McAdoo, would give
=. workers 500, 100000 in back pay
a January 1, and would add S2ss,O13,-
IA to the payroll as of 1917, an in
,r,sse Of 15.O21 per cent.
Wage advances proposed, however,
IA not represent net increases over
.,s.ing pay, but are based on the
uontb Of December. 1915. In other
xords. any increases which may have
,,en allowed by individual roads since
,hst time must be deducted In some
cases deductions will almost, if not
altogether, cover the increases sug-
eested, according to the report. The
roads themselves during 1916 and 1917
Increased wages an amount equivalent
to ss50,0O0,O0O, if applied to the pres
eut number of their employees.
Biggest Boost to Lowest Paid
"As to those who have received such
Increases" the report says, 1--WE advise
10 other course than that the scale be
adhered to, for it has it's foundation
in principle and not in the compelling
force Of any unusual competition. In
no event, however, should there be any
reduction in wages from those now
obtaining.
"The railroads must. however, main
tain their complement of workers, and
Il, by meeting fairly, as here, the needs
Of the time, this end cannot be secured,
there must be allowed play for other
forces than those we have recognized" :"
Flat increases of $50 month are
proposed for all employees except ap-
prentices receiving $40 or less, and all
others up to S239 would get advances
ranging from 43 per cent downward
to as per cent, the smallest increases
going to those with the highest wages.
Above s239, fiat increases would be
given to make the wage $3.50. Appren-
tees from eighteen to twenty-one years
Of age would receive only three-fourths
Of the recommended increases, and
those below eighteen years one-half.
McAdoo Studies Report
In the application of the scale the
wage runs with the place, so that men
sho have been promoted since Decem-
sr 1915, shall receive increases ap-
picable to the new place and not to
their wages in that month. Men dis
charged since January l shall receive
their share of the retroactive pay for
The time that they worked.
Director General McAdoo is expected
'u adopt only part of the Railroad
Wages Commissions recommendations
made public to-day, and probably will
make number of different alignments
u deciding what wage increases shall
be granted.
In general, the Director General ad-
focates higher pay for most classes OF
sorSmen to enable them to meet in
creased living costs, but he has been
!epresented as favoring proportionate-
Y larger increases for some classes
man Tor others now making the same
pay. he also is strongly opposed to
granting wage increases which might
olsafrange the general scheme of pay
existing throughout other industries.
Brotherhood Men Disappointed
Leaders of the four principal railway
Osctherhoods found tonight on ex-
.aamiaing the wage commissions report
"a, ,ass they had been recommended for
lsss than half the increases they had
sd MSed OF the railroad managements be-
ivie government control started and
which they repeated before the com
mission. Their demands had been for
an average of somewhat less than DC
per cent and increases for them aver
!, Some union leaders. who anticipated
uat the commissions recommendations
W would not be for as great amounts as
ueg had asked, already have appealed
= ulrecsor General McAdoo to amend
.ue proposed scale to give them higher
pay
81 y was pointed out to-day by Of
seals acquainted with the complicated
aa. me.nods OF figuring wages according to
! su'oh scales that these scales could not
" preserved if at the same time wages
~, seie raised according to the percentage
i p'an proposed by the Wage Commits
~ ,oa' 1T was suggested that the Direc-
vi ~; General might adopt the general
sI;lueipies put forth by the Wage Com
ssn;sslon, but that an extensive re-
ssu;Isnment s;I.. would be necessary in actu-
-! nguring the pay to be allowed.
.;sss sse conditions were among those
~ NY oy officials who predicted that Mr.
Is. taIUo ", would not carry out in detail
~ wage Commissions recommends
a,s sne commission based its recommen-
SSsaOns Sas.s on the monthly pay of the men,
,s.smuen as the advances were recon-
s,sad saued to equalize wazes and the
ssssswshg ~ cost of living, but the rates
Il. increase were arranged for all
~ fssses OF employees. whether paid by
m;l.Im month, day, hour or number Of
No Sex Discrimination
~. important feature of the report
~ sae recommendation that where
shsn' same service is rendered the pay
tinn oe the same without discrimina-
as 10 sex or race.
sho,,,a h,ssssine pay and hours of service
a. sa ns NOT be disturbed during the war,
that submission reported, in suggesting
kotk an an exhaustive study be made of
elm, subjects with a view to changes to
,he nate se dissatisfaction and improve
shs, ,sssice. 1t was recorded, however,
lm;e.S standard day Of reasonably
nes.u length is as much part of the
mar ~ o. justice with the working
P..s,ss ~ Is his rate Of wage"
staSv aSmsnent tribunals to continue the
adisg,. :. railroad labor problems and to
ia ~ many acknowledgements to
able snmission, - but which it was un-
the .s ~ take up, were proposed, with
pb.tsm:ent that its inquiry showed
ariss readjustment Of the sal
sacts :, railroad officials would pro-
soa1. sas :, efficient operation Of the
nav T. l. L.