The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-05-29
SCORES OF PROTESTS
FROM RAILROADERS .
OVER WAGE INCREASES

WASHINGTON. May 2S.-Scorcs OF
protests reached the railroad adminlS-
lraliun headquarters today against
small wage Increases granted by Dlrcc-
tor-C"ncral MCNdors' recent order.
Word came from Alexandria. Va. that
between 3on and 400 shop employees of
the Southern railway had quit work for
thu day to emphasize their disSatistac-
ton over tho new scale.
Notice Of the demonstration at Alex
andra was greeted at the railroad adj
miniStration with the comment that al
protests and suggestions Tor modItlcil-
ton of the wage order should hn pre-
scntrd formally TO the director general
for consideration by the board of rail-
/ road wages aud working conditions
which Will meet here within week 10
/ take up just such incidents. officials
said 4 strike will avail nothing at this
Tina except TO hinGer railroads and 10
cause public i'll feeling. toward the
strikers.
REPORTS came that Other union organ
iZatinns. particularly machinlStS. were
, planning walk outs hut these were not
crrditc.i by labor directors of III" rail-
road administration.
1t has i."n conceded by some uftici-
ais that higher wages than those allow
Ell hv the directors generals order might
have, In u" paid shurm"n. including
machiniSts. sheet metal workers. black
smiths .elrctr-ranS, hn!l"rmakcrS and
! rar men. OWING {" IN" high :H;ti" OF
wages in shipyardS and other industries
employing large numbers or th.Sc
wnrkmrn. The now wnSc order cStah-
lishcd a minimum Of 81 cents an hour
for .'luachinSt:>. hlackSmithS, boiler
makers and other shop mechanics who
have mrrn receiving the same hourly
rate.
rralusinn has been created over the
Interpretation of tins provision: SinCo
tho Inurly rate varies III different shops
and I:lr;S rf the country.
Another class "C employees who may
, haI.. To h. paiI more ar" tho 'Inaintrn-
unc" Of way lahurrrS. whn arc being
lurrd with higher pay I" other work.
f'u- several weeks REPORTS have been
reaching Washington that track labor
"rS wore planning t. remain with ih:
railroads only until given their back
PAY under i'l- recent ruling and then 10
.;u to other employment SCmr'uf these
reports proved unfnund"d on inv"SiirI-
lion. lut officials ar" not overlooking
III" danger nf losing employees TO other
war Industries.
For this reason n" new board OF
rnIlwnv wages will l." instructed 10
maxi. all possible haste I" consider
wage adjustments called I" its attrn-
ton by Tho dir"rinr-ECnrr"l on COM
plain; from employees. and To recon-
mend notifications from time :" time.
II is pruh:lHl" III" board will tnk" up
m" grievances of mnrhinISts and other
Shnpu"ua first. Many Of these com.
planned that th"y got not Il cent in
crease under tho new order. owing I"
me fact that tn" advances proposed Ivy
tn" seal" have been moro han taken IN
hy increases during tn" past two y"nTS-
Several Thousand complaints and snE'
.cstiunS were rccriVcd by tn" dr""tnr-
c"urral after III" report Of tn" railway
WACO committee. r"CninrnrndInC mo
scale which IN" director general finally
adopted in substance Indications arc
that nearly as many Will h" fnr,h-c"'n'
ing now
Few 7rntHsts har" cora" from IN" fouT
leading railway hrnthrrh"'tlS. although
committees of lnCal organizations have
sent son,c Informal suggestions for
modifca ton.