Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-07
APPEAL TO M'ADOO 10 HELP HERE
Chamber of Commerce Teegrsphs Railroad Director Gen eral That Wage For Freight Handlers Has Brought on Freight Embargo in Norwich - 43 Loaded Cars Are Standing With Only Two Truckers to Move Freight

Ny dear Mfr. Jones:4The labor question is becoming critical through out New England insofar as railroad terminals are concerned. It is inn possible to secure sufficient day la borers to care for freight at freight
 houses in eastern Connecticut and we note Providence, Boston and larger terminals are having their troubles as well. In Norwich where the working force in the freight houses (truckers) number fifteen under ordinary condi- tions, today with freight running very heavy, forty cars of house freight out standing this morning, there are but three truckers available t6 handle the situation here. New London if any thing is worse off.
 This is preliminary to the subject. wish to take up with you the matter of adjusting or increasing the rate of wages to 1aberers on railroads. We understand that this matter has been taken up with Director General of Railroads McAdoo with the recom+ fnendation that a A per cent. increase 5e granted to ali fsborers getting less than $50 per month, those receiving more than fifty dollars per month to have smaller increases on 2. sliding scale those receiving two th6usand five hundred a year to have an ft1= crease of but 5 per cent. Mir. Afc46ioo agreed, I believe, to render a decision l fE the matter not later than May i. l Up to the present time he has not done so and it is impossible for ter l nfinals to procure iaBerers for this class of work owing to the inability of local agents to pay wages in keeping with general conditions elsewhere. I am writing you to see if you will not lay the matter before the state counsel of defense and bring such pressure to bear as you may he able. through such channels as you have at vance for your immediate attention, i ! remain
 | Sincerely yours.
 1 Norwich Chamber of Commerce. But President Jones paid no at tention to this and it took another re- hinder and the following letter before lie finally took some action:
 June i, 1913. l Nfr. Edward P. Jones; President Con- neeticut Chamber of Comrneree Hartford, Connecticut.
 Dear Mr. Jones: On May 18th this office wrote you concerning the labor fconditions in general and especially
 
 New England, but more especially ir Itesdrd to Norwich. Railroads are be- ling outbid by industrial plants, con- tractors and others for the particular kind of labor that is now being era. ployed at freight terminals and ktiowr as truckers and steredores. At Nor Ewich, since writing you May 16th. tht Econdition if anything has grown Istealily worse until it is next to i'm possible to stave off having embar goes placed upon this station.
 The chamber of commerce believe. it to be one of our fundamental dutiei to keep these arteries of cornmuniea tion and transportation open, if sucl la thing is possible. We further be llfeve that to have an embargo placed upon the terminals of city is a blev to our industrial progress and a blael eye to our civic advancement. We be heve that were the railroads to rais
 their rate or scale of wages oovefin; the pSsfts at issue, in keeping witt amounts paid by local contractors fo similar classes of work. that ther
 would be no trouble in securing a suf ficient amount of help to keep frefgh
 moving. In fact we cannot see hoy the conditions can help being wors as time goes on unless something i l InHledlaIely uoI1e III t11S. respect. A
 we wrote you before this matter ha
 been taken Up with Director Genera Of Railroads McAdoo, with a recon , Emendation that I A per cent increas be granted on a sliding scale base
 Epon q fifty dollar per month rate.
 In writing you it is the thought C
 the Norwich Chamber that as a mem Ter Of the state council of defens. t representing the chambers of com inerce of Connecticut. that it is you l duty to lay this matter seuarely be : fore the council with a view of havin l the attention of director general C | railroads drawn to local condition s Will you not do this at the carries : possible moment. as we feel much tim 6 has already been lost and great ir
 Iconveniences experienced because ( 6 the delays of the past. Kindly kee
 this office posted regarding the actio
 taken by the state council of defens : covering this whole matter.
 ,, Bery truly yours,
 Norwich Chamber of Commerce,