Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-15
RAISE IN WAGES FOR
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tendance Herewith, tra1nmen arc hereby
notified that the conditions governing the
rrlation between this company and Its
employees shall continue as heretofore.
General Manager Wilson, In comment
Hng on the subject, said:
notwithstanding the recent increa sc
In wages granted TO our motormen and
conductors, we are still experiencing
great difficulty In securing a sufficient
number of competent men TO man our
cars. We have been short on an average
nj ten Q0) CARS from our schedule for the
rast thirty days, thus causing great IN
G1mvenence to the travelling public.
s4The National War Labor Board. after
xsfull consideration of the facts and con-
Chtions surrounding other companies oper-
atIng under conditions substantially SINH
lar TO those surrounding his company,
has for the period of the war awarded to
the electric railway trainmen the rates
of wages set forth IN our notice 10 motor
men and conductors, dated August Is,
19lSN
I've feel constrained therefore to pay
oar trainmen wages equal to the wages
psid other tranmen working under like
conditions
The demands for transportation ser
vice TO industries engaged in war work
in this territory are as great as in any
part of the country.
With the end in view of obtaining
working and living conditions for our
trainmen which will justify this company
and the public in expecting and asking
for the highest degree Of efficiency and
lovaltyin service. We have raised our wages
to the rate awarded by the National War
Labor Board to tralnmen working under
like conditions
we believe that our conditions are
substantially similar 10 those of other
companies for which these rates have been
fixed. among which are those companies
serving the territory In and contiguous
to the cities Of Scranton, Pa, Newark,
y. J.. Rochester. n y. Schenectady,
\. Y. Columbus. Ohio. Evanston, H.,
and Omaha and Council Bluffs. etc. This
list will disclose that the rate Is applied In
many different sections of the country
In making It's awards, the National
War Labor Board drew attention to the
relation of the wage increases granted 10
the financial conditions Of the companies
concerned, and made the following state
ment and recommendations IN each case:
This increase In wages will add sub
stantially to the operating cost OF the
company and will require a reconsidera-
tion by the proper regulating authority Of
the fares which the company Is allowed
by law to collect from its passengers
I've have recommended to the
President that special congressional legIs-
lation be enacted to enable some execu-
tive agency of the Federal government
10 consider the very peTilous financial
condition of this and other electric street
railways of the country, and raise fares
In each case IN which the circumstances re
uuire IT We believe 1t TO be war neces-
sity justifying Federal interference. Should
this be deemed unwlse, however, We urge
upon the local authorities and the people
of the locality the pressing need for such
an increase adequate to meet the added
cost of operation
. This Is not 3 question turning on the
history of the relations between the local
street railways and the municipalities in
which they operate. The just claim for
an increase IN fares does not rest upon
any right to a dividend upon capital long
invested In the enterprise. The increase
In fare must be given because Of the i'm
mediate pressure for money receipts
now to keep the street railroads running
so that they may meet the local and ma
tional demand for their service. Over
capitalization, corrupt methods, exorbi-
tant dividends IN the past are not rele-
want TO the question of policy in the
present exigency In justice, the public
should pay an adequate war compensa-
ton for a service which cannot be render
ed except for war prices The credit of
these companies in floating bonds is
gone. Their ability to borrow on short
notes is most limited In the face of added
expenses which this and other awards of
needed and fair compensation to their
employees will involve, such credit will
completely disappear. Bankruptcy, re-
ceiverships and Generalization, with
failure of service, must be the result
Hence our urgent recommendation on
this head
"Thls company is now required to
furnish to the Public Utility Commission
statement of its earnings under the
present rates of fare. We believe that
such reports will demonstrate the neces-
sity of further increase in the rate of
fare, and In that event we feel that the
public should, in the language Of the
National War Labor Board, pay an
adequate war compensation for SER
wee which cannot be rendered except for
war prices
The public, as well as the company
has right, as set forth in our notice to
fnotorme1 and conductors, to expect, and
TO call upon the trainmen TO perform their
duties with the highest degree Of loyalty
and efficiency"