Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-12-11
More Figures Are
GiUen Regarding
Shipments Wages

IullOT 4hOItlllS IOulildlt
have read with interest your edl-
torial in this mornings Journal in
which you champion the cause of the
railway clerks in their endeayor to Sc
cure an increase in pay.
This is very commendable on the
part OF the journal, and as a repre-
sentative of the International Associa-
ton of Machinists, will state that we
fully agree with you that the clerks
in the past have always been under
paid, been obliged TO work long hours
without receiving overtime, and IN
other respects have not participated in
the benefits accorded other employees
who have enjoyed the protection OF
their various organizations. However,
| must take issue with you in regard
to percentage of increase in wages paid
shopmen at the present time, as COM
pared with the year 1915.
The figures given you some weeks
ago representing that this increase
amounted to from 40 per cent TO 60
per cent (and which you now state
were incorrect were merely approxis-
nations However. | have today done
some careful figuring on the question
and I find that the former figures
published by you should have been
given as 80 per cent to G5 per cent in
| stead of 40 per cent to 65 per cent. j
| dc not of course know your source of
information for the figures used to-
day. but your informant was proba-
| bly, working upon the assumption that
we are SSH working ten-hour day; to
! Illustrate:
/ In 1915 q mechanic was earning AZ
! cents per hour--today he is receiving
/ n = m IF
| an increase Of about SO per cent, hut
! not So In 1915, the ten-hour day be-
! ing in force, the mechanic received
| $4.2O per day Now his day is eight
| hours, ut 6S per cent. or $5.44. This
is an Increase of $124 over the daily
| rate of 1915 or 30 per cent.
AS a further illustration, take the
ordinary laborer who received the
greatest percentage of increase. Tn
1915 he was earning 8 cents per hour;
now he gets 81 cents. This looks like
! an increase in his wages of over LOG
| per cent, but the fact of the matter
isthat tho increase in his rate of pay
is only S116 or 65 per cent by reason
OF the shorter hours he is now en-
ployed.
In view OF the fact that the cost
of living has increased at least 1Oo
per cent. the. wages which we are now
receiving, although they show quite
| an increase over 1915, are still far
from adequate and some further adj
justments will have to, be made in the
near future. unless the cost of livine
is materially reduced. believe
! YOU will agree with me that to a
! large degree we are Blamed by the
4 public for the increase in freight
rates and passenger fares, and there
fore I would thank you to make q
i correction Of the figures as given ir
your editorial of this morning. We dc
not feel that there was any intention
on ycu. part to hurt our cause, but
rather that you have been misin-
| formed
We know that you will do what is
right about this, and l thank YOU ir
advance for,your prompt attention tc
the matter.
Very respectfully.
/ W. S. PATTERSON,
SECRETARY Treasurer District No. 8
International Association of Ma.
chinists.
Editorial Note-The Journals state
ment regarding the Increased pay from
1915 was approximately correct. Mr.
Patterson is comparing his figures not
with 1915, but with the last raise
given the men by the company before
the government took charge.
The Journal approves al the adj
vances to all of the men and cannot
understand why there should be any
attempt to conceal the facts.