New-York tribune., 1918-02-26
r. r.. Wage Board
Puts Pullman Men
Under ". S. Control
Commission Acts i'm Behalf
of Little Fellows" Among
Railway Employees
Tipping Is Defended
l.. S. Hungerford Opposes Re.
ad djustment of Porters' Pay
to Abolish Custom

WASHINGTON, Feb 25.--"The little
fellow" among railroad employees was
represented to-day by the Railroad
Wage Commission, which was asked
not to forget thousands of workers, or
ganized and unorganized, who con-
tribute materially to the operation of
trains, but are little known to the
public.
!, Employees of the Pullman company
received official inclusion among rail
road men under government jurisdic-
ton when Secretary Lane chairman Of
the commission, told one Of their num-
Der he might proceed with his repre-
sentations on the theory that the Pull
man company was common carrier.
Tipping, which Pullman car porters
recently testified was relied on to sup
plement their small salaries, was de-
Tended to-day by l.. S. Hungerford,
general manager Of the Pullman com
pany.
"lf porters we're put on straight
salary do you think tipping would con-
y
Favors the Tips
"You must take into consideration
that tipping is very general prac-
tice,' Mr.. Hunge rford replied. 81 think
the porter feels that he earns the tips
and that the passengers feel the same
way. | believe the porters are fully
entitled to the tips"
"You do not think then" suggested
G hot 20
Pullman company could readjust the
temperament Of American people in re-
gard to handing out a dime or quarter
for extra service?"
81 don't think it would be advisable
to abolish tipping on Pullmans unless
1T was abolished elsewhere" the wit
ness answered.
l.. S. Taylor, controller Of the Pull
man company, told the commission the
conmpany,s waiting list had not been
affected by the scarcity of labor. He
said conductors salaries range from
$40 to SlO0 month, with 10 per cent
bonus each year, a months salary for
year without demcrts and certain
bonuses after fifteen years Of service.
Porters receive from $50 to $50 regu-
lary, while those on troop trains get
$50 monthly. Judge Covington wanted
to know if the higher pay of troop
train porter was given because of the
lesser tipping ability of soldiers.
u suppose it is figured somewhat on
the basis that added compensation is
lacking Mr. Hungerford replied
A. l.. Rhoades, a Pullman conductor.
said the conductors had to work long
hours, were not allowed to sleep while
on duty, that they underwent heavy
expenses on the road in addition to
maintaining their families and that
their salaries after six years. service
were 500 q month.
Wage Increases Asked
George ?. Mann and P. II. McNa-
mara urged increased pay for the clerks
Austen, speaking for the Order of Tel
egraphers, Dispatchers, Agents and
slgnalmen, suggested increases for
tOWermen.
T. ]. Brady and W. NJ. Welch, inter-
national president, asked wage in
creases FOR members of the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Steam Shovel
and Dredge Men, to compensate for the
TACT that their busy season was only
about eight months of the year. Their
Pay now is about $175 a month.
j. M. Lynch, president of the Broth
erhood of Freight Handlers, asked an
eight-hour day and an annual vaca-
tion for the freight handlers
S. f. Padgett, general chairman of
the Colored Association of Railroad
Employees, urged that the pay of negro
employees should be equalized with that
OF white men when the work performed
was the same.
j. w. Higgins, executive secretary of
the Western Association of Railways.
reappeared before the commission to
give exact figures on wage increases
IN the Western territory during 1915
and 1917, which, he said, amounted to
S975,875,0O0, or an average Of S151.47
per man.