The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-09
All Employees Receiving Less Than S250 Monthly in
 1915 Affected
NO NET INCREASE OF
 PAY NOW EXISTING
Under Plan Proposed Many Workers Are Already Re- ceiving the Entire
 Amount

Washington, May 9--,All rail- road employees whose monthly pay in December, 115, was less than $250 a month have been recommended for wage in creases by the railroad wage commission.
 Tie recommendations, if adopted by Director General McAdoo, would give the work CTS $1o0,000,0O0 in back pay from January 1 and would add $2es, ,013.71S to the pay roll as of 1917, a net increase of 15. 021 per cent.
 Wage advances proposed, however, do not represent net increases over existing pay, but are based on the month of December, 1915. In other words, any increase which may have 1 been allowed by individual roads since that time must be deducted. In some cases, deductions will almost if not altogether cover the increases sug- gestcd, according to the report. The roads themselves during 1915 and 1917 increased wages an amount equivalent to $350, 100000 if applied to the pres ent number of their employees. 1 As to those who have received such 1 Increases" the report says. we ad- wise no other course than that the scale be adhered to, for it has its 1 foundation in principle and not in the com polling force of any unusual com 1 petition. In no event. however should i there be any reduction in wages for l those now obtaining
 The railroads must, however, main tain their employment of workers, and. | if by meeting fairly, as here, the needs of the time. this end cannot be se- l cured, there must be allowd play for | other forces than those we have rec | ognized."
 FLAT INCREASE
 "Flat increases of s20 month are proposed for all employees except ap- prentices receiving s46 or less, and all others up to s239 would get ad- vances ranging from 43 per cent down ward to 4.6 per cent, the smallest in- creases going to those with the high est wages. Above $239, flat increases would be given to make the wages s250 Apprentices from IS to 21 years of age would receive only three-fourths of the recommended increases and those below IS years, one-half
 In the application of the scale, the wage runs with the place so that men who have been promoted since Decem Der. 1915, shall receive mercedes ap- plocable to the new eplace and not to their wages in thai month. Men dis charged since January l, shall receive their share of the retroactive pay for the time that they worked.
 | M'ADOO STUDYING REPORT
 MT. McAdoo is studying the report which was made public tonight, and will decide in what increases shal be allowed, probably within ten days It is considered probable that he Will make readjustments which he believes | to be necessitated by the intricacies o1 union wage scales and other wage fac tors. The commission based it's recon mendations on the monthly pay of the men, inasmuch as the advances were recommended to equalize wages an, the growing cost of living. but the rates of increase would arrange foi all classes of employees. whether pait by the month, day, hour or number oi miles.
 An important feature of the repor was the recommendation that where the same service is rendered the pay i shall be the same without discrimina
 tion as to sex or race.
 OVERTIME AND HOURS
 Overtime pay and hours of servic, should not be disturbed during tn, war, the commission reported in sug gesting that an exhaustive study L,
 made of both subjects with a view |. changes to eliminate dissatisfaction and improve the service. It was re corded. however, that standard da, l of reasonably limited length is al much a part of the measure of justic
 with the workingman, As of his rat
 of wages.
 Permanent tribunals to continue tn
 study of railroad labor problems ali,