The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-02-19
AGREED THAT J.
employees ARE
NOT ABLE TO
LIVE ON LESS
Numerous Glasses Of Employees
Not Properly Compensated,
Says Walber
$3.50 NOT LIVING STIPEND
Greatest Advances Should Be
Given Fellows Making
Less Than $100"

Less Than $1O0"
Washington, D. c., Feb. 1S.-
The necessity for increased wages
for railroad employees was con.
ceded today by representatives Of
majority Of the railroads Of the
United States, appearing for tie
first time before the government
railroad wage commission. They
said they came not to oppose re
quests OF the employees, but merely
to aid the commission by giving
information.
Low Paid Men Need Help
Officials need no evidence that the
cost of living has increased and that
the low.paid man needs assistance
during the war;" declared J. w. Hig-
gins Of Chicago, executive secretary
Of the Western Association of Rail-
ways, speaking for the railroads Of
the western district.
mo one recognizes more keenly
than the arrangements that there are
numerous classes of employees not
properly compensated" was the state.
ment made for the eastern territory
by John G.. Walber of New York, sec.
rotary Of the bureau of information Of
eastern railways. 81. aa.,8 (
F. W. Brown Of Washington, assis.
tant to the vice president Of the South
ern railway, did not touch on the need
for wage advances, but agreed that
conditions outlined in other sections
applied equally to the south. The
railroads in the eastern and western
territory pay IS per cent Of the money
earned by railroad employees in the
United States. Il.
All Under $4,000 Affected ~
Mr.. Higgins assertion that the low
paid man should be helped drew from
Secretary Lane, chairman Of the COM
mission, a query as to what he con-
sidered a low-price man. H..
Il would say that all men receiving
under $3.50 a month need more money
to meet the advance in prices of nee
essities," Mr.. Higgins replied. per
haps the limit of those who need help
should be raised to $4,000 a year,
which seems to be the line drawn by
the government in the income tax
law. The greatest advance should be
given to the MEN making less than
S1OOsa month. Those fellows must be
having q strenuous time"
"The $4,000 limit would include all
laborers, trainmen, brakemen, mechan-
les and clerks, and great many en-
gineers and conductors" commented
Mr. Lane
Mr.. Higgins agreed that was true.
He did not suggest any definite in
crease, but remarked that perhaps the
increased living cost should be borne
for the distressed semploye during the
war. Both he and Mr.lWalber assert.
ed that the arrangements have not
been unmipdful Of the welfare of their
employees in the past, and have given
additional pay where their finances
permitted.
@ No Distinction Made
All the speakers were careful to
state that they made no distinction
between union members and morgan.
lied employees. The course of wages
was declared to have been upward
since 1910, when the concerted form
of demand was first used by the broth
erhoods. Especially since 1915, the
ascending trend has been noticeable,
according to the speakers, who en-.
deayored to show that all classes OF
employees have received consideration
in the matter of better pay. Mr.. Wal
Der said that from January, 1916, to
the latter part Of 1917, the pay Of
skilled labor and clerks increased Is
per, cent in the eastern district and
unskilled labor from Is to 100 per
cent.
Between 1909 and 1915, Mr.. Walber
said,s engineers received wage in
creaseslo of 1873 per cent; firemen 1851
per cent, conductors 1892 per cent,
and all other trainmen 1921 per cent,
the increase having been afforded in
large part by changes in the wage
schedules, and to less degree by
changes in the rules.
Mr., Higgins said the average rate Of
increase for operating employees In the
western district between 1909 and
1915 had bene 1928 per cent. Since
that time the. wage increase on nine
representative roads had been. 81, 073-
O94 in 1916 for $4,000 men and $780,
1852 In 1917 for 340,436 men, an
average for the. two years of $114.S9
per man, If. the ratio was true Of all
the roads in the United States he esti-
mated that the total added to the pay
rolls this would be between $3.50, O00,-
900 and f3260;OOO,0O0. OF the 1917 in
crease $19,921.0o was said to have
been absorbed BY the operation alton Of the
Then half the increase Of that year
went to the trainmen," remarked Sec
rotary Lane. .s..a Vi. !
MasA Increases
In reporting their wage increases,
some Of the nine representative roads
-Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, Chica-
go & Northwe stern, Chicago & East
ern Illinois, Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy, Minneapolis, st, Paul & Sault
Ste. Marie, Northern Pacific, Chicago,
Rock Island & Pacific, Chicago, Mil
waukee & st. Paul, and Missouri Pa
citic- included the pay Of officers in
the total. Mr.. Higgins said however,
he thought the officers had received
q few increases and called attention
to- the highest average, $50, reported