The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-05-09
loNAIloT
|'llVr Ill ROAD.
lIlsE INcREAsEs
'var Isn't Time to Cut Hours,
Board Declares,

IN WASHINGTON, May 9.--,In recon-
sssSndins wage increases OF $J00,00O,0OO
onnuaiiy for all railroad employees
Wisose wages were less than $3.50 =
ssonth in December, 1915. the railroad
vase commission made several original
.nad far-reaching suggestions on the
orobiem of railroad labor which at
i1rscted the close attention today oi
Director General McAdoo and Other
nCvernment officials. ~
~ Decision In Ten Days. "a
n Mr.. McAdoo Is expected to announce
Ms decision on the recommendation
IN about ten days. There are indica-
tions that he will not accept them in
their entirety. Some union officials
have already expressed dissatisfaction
With the amounts recommended for the
men Of their organizations, the increases
ranging from 4J TO 46 percent, the
highest paid men receiving the loves,
increases and the average being l5OZl
percent advance over the 1917 pay
roll.
Increase Is Retroactive.
Perhaps the provision OF the recon-
mendations likely to encounter most
strenuous objection is the one that all
wage increases allowed by the roads
In 1916 and 1917 shall be deducted from
the amounts now 10 be given. The com
mission declared that its conclusions
were based on a principle, which was
that the men entitled TO recompense for
the increased cost OF living, and IN
basing its recommendations on the pay
rolls OF December, 1915 in comparison
with present prices OF necessities de-
eided that ii would be unfair to allow
certain employees who already had re-
ceived wage advances 10 benefit twice
Shorter Hours Not Increase.
The commission declared in its re-
port that reductions in hours are not
10 be regarded as increases in pay
4 stand frankly at variance with high
railroad officials who, during the hear
ings, asserted that the Adamson eight
hour law was in effect an increase in
pay. because the overtime resulting was
Inevitable and amounted to many mil
lions OF dollars in money.
Requests for an eight-hour day for
all railroad employees and for time and
a half for overtime were not acted IN
by the commission.
AT the outset OF the hearings the
report SAYS. at was manifest that the
matter Of hours of service is lodged
deep in labor's mind A standard day
Of reasonable limited length Is as much
a part Of the measure Of justice with
the workingman as is his rate OF wage.
No Time to Shorten Days.
Tt would be a splendid achievement
n we could at this time crystalline the
experience Of the world into . conclu-
sion concerning the length OF the work
day that would be Of universal applica-
ton.
"But this it not the time, in the judg-
rnent OF the commission, to make ex-
periments which might lessen the out
put OF that commodity which railroad
men productions of freight hauled.
and numbers Of passengers carried,
The one thing now imperative Is vol
ume OF and speed in railroad output.
Since the commissions work began, as
before, our needs as a nation and the
vital needs of those nations with whom
we are allied have been imperilled jy
the shortcomings Of our transportation
system. There is no one who wishes
10 risk a repetition of this condition.
Equal Wages for Women.
"Since the war women have entered
the shops, have engaged in handling
freight and baggage, and have even
been employed upon the tracks. Much
Of this work requires a physical effort
beyond the strength of women, and
.osne Of II 10 carried on under condi.
tions menacing to health, safety and
morals. As the war takes an increas-
- number OF men, women must to
some degree take the places OF men
They should be cared for. Their bur.
den should not be such as to hazard
their health. Their hours should be
reasonably short. Their working con-
ditions should be heathful and fitted
10 their needs. And their pay. when
they do the full work of men, should be
the same as that of men
aThe investigation Of the commission
disclosed many inequalities OF pay IN
the same branch of service. In every
case where the same service IS rem
dered there should be the same pay
without regard to sex or race. Mem
hers of organizations and non>members