New-York tribune., 1918-02-06
SayR.RHeads
AreHalnpering
y. S. Control
Trainmcn Charge They Are
Tying to Discredit
Government

, WASHINGTON, Feb. 5. - Inefficient
operation of the railroads. resulting in
traffic congestion with its grave at
tendant evils, was charged by union
labor leaders at hearing to-day be-
fore the Railroad Wage Commission
to a desire on the part of the manage
ments Of the transportation systems
to discredit the eight-hour law and to
make a failure Of government control
This situation, the commission was
told by ". G. Lee, head Of the train
men: A. 3. Garretson, head of the
conductors, and other witnesses. &C.
counted for the sudden collapse of the
transportation system of the country
including such roads of splendid record
as the Pennsylvania. The brother
hood leaders used such vigorous ex~
, prcssions as "rotten railroading" to
convey their opinion of the way the
industry has been carried on since the
government took charge, and they
offered to produce scores Of instances
Of delayed crews, changes in person
mel and misuse of rolling stock to prove
: their statements.
Session Was Stormy
The ordinarily quiet course of such
hearing was rallied from the very
outset. Mr.. Lee and Mr.. Garretson,
appearing to present the claims of
their brotherhoods for wage increases
found several railroad representatives
present, and entered an immediate pro.
test. declaring they did not purpose
to to deal With two sets Of employers.
The commission explained that the
railroad men were there by special in
vitatlon to supplement, not to antagon-
1ze,. the information presented BIZ the
employees. sss7se lst }7s lS.sfg 3. -: 4 Z, {
ts-sThis question ardlsts-hads been
smoothed over before discussion of the
working OF the eight-hour law and
the effect of government supervision Of
,Ee roads precipitated charges by Mr..
Lee that ,the arrangements had been
doing their utmost to dscredit both.
he said overtime had been doubled and
tripled to make the effect of the Adam
sent that the workers were obtaining
large wage increases. Furthermore, he
declared. every effort was being used
10 handicap transportation in order to
create dissatisfaction with the govern
mcnt's part in the business.
would 60 back to about four banks
in New York if I wanted to find out the
real cause for this" he said. Asked
how nc thought the alleged results had
been accomplished, he said he thought
the word had been passed down the
line that overtime was to be increased
greatly. He did not think there had
been conspiracy, "from the presi.
dents down to the dispatchcrs" to delay
trains under government supervision,
but insisted sufficient persons we're in
terested in that end to obtain what they
desired. He referred to train dispatch,
crs as "tran dclaycrs.'
Actions Called Natural
Secretary Lane, chairman of the com
mission, asked numerous questions con-
ccrning the union leaders, allegations
and wanted to know if he meant that
the railroads actually had run up their
operating costs in order TO discredit the
Adamson law. Mr.. Lee replied that
that was the case. adding that it was
perfectly natural
81 do not think it was natural. am
net so cynical about human nature"
tie Secretary replied.
Pr. Garretson supplemented his COL
employees are thoroughly aware of the
type of clearing congestion which was
IN effect before the government took
over the roads" he said. "Thcy also
are aware Of the kind Of transporta
tion now being given, but want to say
there. is one class of employees not en-
gagged in giving q demonstration Of
what a failure government operation
! is.'
D. w. Helt, grand chief of the
Brotherhood OF Railway Signalmen, as
serted that the work Of the Wage Com
mission was being used as cloak" by
some of the roads to discontinue ne
sotiations with employees which We're
pointed. He said the signal,nen on the
New York. New Haven & Hartford
We're on the verge Of quitting their
! Jobs because of inability to obtain
satisfaction on demands made in De-
cembcr.
Increased Wages Requested
Requests for increased wages were
made by Lee. Garretson and Helt, on
behalf of their organizations; By L. II.
Morton, representing the Order of Rail-
! way Station Agents and the Brother
hood of Railway Towermen and Signal
men, and by p. ]. Doyle, representing
the Brotherhood Of Railroad Station
Employees. All Of them told Of in
creased living costs. The unions beside
| the trainmen and conductors, which OBJ
tained an eight-hour day under the
! Adamson Law, requested basic eight
hour day and time apd Il half for over
lime.
Increases asked by the ,sainmen and
conductors vary from 20.6 per cent f..
conductors to 42.S per cent for yard
helpers, in general the lowest paid en-
ployes TO receive the largest increase.
| Conductors, who now get $3.50 day On
passenger trains, would receive $5.43
| If the full increase were allowed. Bag
gagemen would be increased from S2.15
and $3.50 a day, according to territory,
to s3.ss Flagnen would advance from
$3.50 to $3.oi and bsaacncn from s2.517
70 1851.
On through freight trains the cor.
ductors' pay would advance from. .o4
and Snd1S "a mile 10 SO,j3 and f2omell