The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-14
FIGURE UP COST
Pax Increase Would Hit Rail-
roads for 50 Million a Year.
"COst'' No Consideration From
Workmen's Standpoint.
Sc Day FOR SKILLED LABOR
Maintenance of Way I'm Against
Maintenance of Way Up Against
1t for Section Hands.
Unorganized 100000 Also Put
in Bid for Wage Raise.

! Washington, Feb. 1.-THE first Of
fetal indication of what proposed
railroad wage increases would cost
was given at the hearing before the
railroad wage commission, when j. A.
Franklin presented the claims of the
railway employees, department of the
Federation of Labor.
Figuring on an average of 33 Is
per cent increase on the flat increases
asked, the additional cost would be
| $50, 100000 annually Secretary Lane,
chairman of the commission, com
puted.
Mr. Franklin said the estimate
seemed correct based upon increases
for 100000 organized men. He also
had suggested that any increases
should apply to unorganiZed workers
| $780, 900, who were not figured in the
| rough calculations.
Skilled Workmen So; Helpers $3.50.
| The wage basis asked was Sc a day
for skilled men, such as carmen, ma
chinists and blacksmiths, $3.50 a day
for helpers and time and half for
overtime, Sunday and holiday work
None of the witnesses has submitted
estimates of what the increases re
quested would cost, all apparently tax.
ing the position of A. B. Garretson;-of
the conductors, who said that 1t dlo
not matter what the cost would pc
since the increases were essential TO
maintain the standard of living and
that if an industry did not maintain
the men serving it, the industry dld
not deserve to survive.
Warren S. Stone, of the engineers,
told the commission that never before
this winter have the railroads entered
the bad weather with equipment IN
such poor condition and said that lack
Of skilled men in shops was RESPONSE
bile for curtaiIment of output there TO
SO per cent of normal.
i Section Hands Quit Jobs.
A. E. Barker. speaking for the
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way
Employees, said his men were on the
verge Of quitting because they saw
living costs mounting steadily with
out advance in wages.
i For the last twelve months the
railroads have not been able to get
men to keep up the standard of their
road bed, one of the most vital parts
of any system" he asserted. Mr.
Franklin's representations resulted in
the first mention of increased freight
rates as means of providing the
revenue necessary to meet the new ex-
penSe.
These increases must be paid by
the shippers" observed Chairman
Lane, but L don't think you should
be barred from reasonable wage be-
cause it might entail an increase in
freight rates"
Compared With Other Industries.
Comparison of railroad wages with
pay in other industries brought sug-
gestions from the commissioners that
the large wages in shipyards and mu-
nitions factories were due to abnor-
NAL conditions and were temporary.
The witness did not agree. Mr.. Frank
lin said ship-building certainly was
good for several years more and called
attention to increases in pay in coal
mines, which he said made common
labor worth more than skilled labor
in railroad shops.
Increases suggested today were 40
per cent for mechanical employees and
bridge builders; 1925 to $3.50 a day
for section men, who now are paid
$E.1O; section foremen, $40 to s14O
month, instead of SIS to 500; ma
sons. $3.50 a day; mason foremen,
$3.50 a month; interlocking signal
builders, SIS a day; carmen, black
smiths. machinists, etc, minimum of
rs cents an hour, and helpers. 56K
cents an hour, no increase to be less
than rs cents an hour; engineers a
minimum of Sc a day. All urged time
ana a half for overtime
The civil engineers did not ask any
specific increase. calling attention to
the fact that they were unorganized
ana suggesting they be given consid-