New-York tribune., 1918-05-27
Provides That Women
Shall Receive Same
Wages as Men
Roard Created to
Correct Injustices
New Rates Affect All Re-
ceiving Less Than $3.50
a Month

WASHINGTON. May 26. - General
nav increases for nearly 100000 rail
road employees were announced to-day
hv Director General McAdoo, effective
next Saturday and retroactive to last
January l, carrying out substantially
recommendations of the railroad wage
commission. The aggregate of the
increases probably will be more than
100000, 900 year. half Of which will
be distributed within a few weeks as
back pay in lump sums ranging from
about 500 to nearly 5000 each.
The Director General departed from
the wage commissions recommends
tions in the following particulars:
The principle of the basic eight hour
day is recognized, but owing to the
exi1encies Of the war situation hours
Of employment are not actually re-
duced, and overtime is to be paid pro
rata. Future adjustments Of pay are
10 be made on the basis of eight hours
Equal Pay for Women
In addition to the ordinary scale of
increase, day laborers, employed main
ly on track work, are to get at least
2h cents an hour more than they re-
ceived last December 81
minimum of 55 cents an hour is
established for the shop trades, includ-
ing machinists, boilermakers and black
smiths
Women are to receive the same pay
as men for the same work, and negroes
are to get the same as white men tor
similar employment.
/ To work out multitude of Unequal
tiles Of pay among employees doing
similar work in different localities, and
other injustices caused by varying
rules of employment and conditions of
organization, the Director General Gre
ated a. new board of railroad wages
and working conditions, consisting OF
three labor representatives and three
railway executives, which will conduct
extensive investigation and recommend
wage and other employment changes.
All increases now ordered will be de-
termined according to percentage
scale based on pay received in De-
cember, 1915, and any increases which
have been allowed within that time
will be deducted. In many cases raises
in pay in the last two and half years
are about equal to the increases now
approved, and consequently those en-
ployes will get little or no more.
Task for New Wage Board
10 correct just such situations when
inlustices are apparent will be one of
the principal duties of the new wage
board, whose creation was suggested
by the Railroad Wage Commission. In
no cases are wages to be reduced.
Men working on the monthly, daily,
hourly, piece work and mill basis will
benefit by the new allowances, and
members of the four leading railway
brotherhoods whose pay was raised
through operation of the Adamson act
are to receive from 10 to 40 per cent
asked Of railroads shortly before the
government took control.
The wage order applies TO all en-
pioyes of the 164 roads now under
Federal management. but not to the So
called short lines, unless they are re-
tanned by the government after July l.
IT affects employees of terminal, union
station, and switching companies, light
ers, ferries and tugs owned by rail-
roads, but not employees of railroad
beat lines on the lakes, rivers or coast
Wise traffic. Although Pullman cars
now are under government operation,
Pullman employees will not benefit
unless the railroad administration de-
cides to retain management of the
cars.
Forget Dissensions, Says McAdoo
In announcing his decision, Mr.. Nc
Aooo appealed to railroad employees to
Jorge. dissensions and disappointments
! arising ander private control and to
! remember that the success of the war
depends largely on their service.
10 meet the expense Of the wage in
clesse, the biggest ever granted to
's'iroAd or any other class Of employees
s one time, the railroad administration
nag discussed raising freight and pas
senger rates.
the percentages of wage increase
exxessc from 43 for men who received
~ north in December, 1915, down
~ e : small rate for these receiving Just
ssnoer S250, and no more is allowed
il Ts msn who made $3.50 or more in 1915.
e u;. aStual additions run up to s34.
with the exceptions of officers and
sss.en9er sss9er boys under eighteen, who
~ smaller increases, all employees
vac received less than SAG . month
rsesays fiat increase Of $40, with the
daV daVs.sson shs,, M that laborers paid BY the
s." no1r sDove the rate six months ago.
q summary Of Increases
The table Of increases. as announced,
ss 'tsnazed Tor each dollar Of wages re-