Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1918-05-10

passenger firemen and helpers IS z
per cent; road passenger conductors
15h per cent; road passenger bag
gagemen SO u per cent; road pas
senger brakemen and flagmen 80 1-3
per cent.
The report was signed by the entire
commission. which was composed of
Secretary Lane. chairman; Charles C..
McChord. also a member OF the inter
state commerce commission; Justice
J. Harry Covington, of the supreme
court OF the District Of Columbia and
William r. Wilcox, former chairman
OF the republican national committee
Perhaps the provision of the rec.
concentrations likely to encounter
most strenuous objection is the one
that all wage increases allowed by the
roads in 1916 and 1917 shall be de-
Quoted from the amounts now to be
given. The commission declared that
its conclusions were based on the
principle that the men were entitled
TO recompense for the increased cost
OF living and in basing its recommen-
dattons on the pay rolls OF December
1915 in comparison with present price
necessities, decided it would be I'M
fair TO allow certain employees who
already had received wage advances
to benefit twice.
The commission declared in its re-
port that reduction in hours are not
to be regarde das increases in pay, a
stand frankly at variance with high
railroad officials who during the hear.
ing asserted that the Adamson eight
hour law was in effect an increase in
pay because the overtime resulting
was inevitable and amounted to many
millions of dollars in money.
Requests for an eight hour day for
all railroad employees and for time
and half for overtime were not act.
ed on by the commission.
AT the outset of the hearings" the
report says. sit was manifest that the
matter of hours of service is lodged
deep in labors mind 1t would be
a splendid achievement il We could at
this time crystalize the experience of
the world into a conclusion concern
/ ing the length of the work day that
would be of universal application.
But this is not the time in the
judgment of the commission, to make
experiments which might lessen the
output OF that commodity which rail,
road men produce tons of freight
hauled and numbers of passengers
carried. The one thing now impera.
tive is volume of and speed in railroad
output.
But with this we earnestly urge
that a most exhaustive study be made
OF this matter of hours of service. not
with view to the adoption of some
arbitrary and universal policy which
shall have no regard to the kind OF
work done, or the effect upon the
railroad service, but with these very
considerations in mind. ...
With tn ematter of overtime as
with hours OF service, the commission
believes that the existing rules and
conditions of payment should not be
disturbed during the period of the
war.
Since the war women have enter.
ed the shops, have engaged in handl.
ing freight and baggage and have
even been employed upon the tracks
Much of this work requires a physi
cal effort beyond the strength OF wo,
men, and some of 1t is carried on un.
der conditions menacing to health
safety and morals. AS the war takes
an increasing number of men, women
must to the same degree take places
Of men. They should be cared for
Their burden should not be such as
to hazard their health. Their hours
should be reasonably short. Their
working conditions should be health
ful and fitted to their needs And
their pay, when they do the full work
OF men, should be the same as that OF