Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-11
STREET CAR FARES
AND WAGES Of MEN
TWO QUESTIONS
One for War Labor Board and
Other for Congress or
President.
REVIEW OF THE SITUATION
1-rrc.ldent 'raft in ph1ao,lphI. il1q,,

Ez-Prcsidont Taft in Philadelphia i<dz,t
IN hearing between Tho street car run
panies ~ Cleveland and Detroit and their
men b"iorr thr War Labor E5at1 ~.
cofnpanics pleaded that they .h0uH us
be required " raIec wages be,sHse .hr-
had no income ont ~ which tn ua.
The Increase They -oid We arr
working under u franchise ~ Vhich 40
receiyc only three mud four cents for
ryasapnger carried many mHrg, and f
substantial iucrcasc ~ wages be granted
bsnk kruptcy aNd rrfrrvcrsip fuHel III
low Tho jpiHt ctarmal ~ ,h' pcari
of arbitrators u threc 'ascs hold fha' 't
fnancial condition oi tho company roH''
not affect tho aesr vhIch 'trf Ugr
decide
Il lg impossible ia eaeapo bis opnr'a-.pr
Supryooc the arhtlfAfIgu BAD horu ayrr .f
pIce ~ roal pr stro rail i4rrfni tte
companies. would 0yhodv .rtr,d t.af
the conIAHics could >" beard 'n IN
the coal dealer ~ tho rad wakrr u'is'
abate thr reasonable r0arkc' prrr ro"r1sr
thr companies Wrrc 2 ''uanoa i-7lfsf
il was argued that ic ob.e@t oi tr"
creation of TIC hpnrd v.s p SECURE rnaY'
mum production 10 lncrnaze y ge5 art
throw the cpmpa0ies ut0 barsrlpt~Y f
WAS ~t+ti4 NJittf
service md the war prrduc'lru ,lrpcr1rr'
IN H. But jhr eYdcroe shereJ wat ttr
cornpauics wrro hov.ng great tfolIt-
m holding tho men adiwd tNT ftr
present wage rate Z hey t"r' a-f'ir~
into another better pald employment
and thc -crt1cc Waa trng -ag7 .fr-
paired Moreover tbe tgrefipn .t
The board wag "a hcio rrodurtirr nv -'r,-
ping strikes or.y Ers ~ part II .ts
dutv gr power tD ocOlro n The rgr0ran'os
adequate income with hich % render n'h
cienf service That lower sv with tnr
citv or State authorities Had thr traid
tic sarne power ~ Jlrrct0r-Crrere tfe-
Adoo IN dealing vifh tne steam railroads
il could and would e making its award
II ID found the receipts ,us'lfh0rr' .ur -N"
service rendered rttse the i4res RI
, equitable rate
The companies then pressed anon fa"
! board ihat loca irsnchlses granted ears
ago prevented the raising nf fares ry ..cl
or State authorities PTceut through
tedious procedure utterly rnnractieth'c
( They urged that appeal be mad' 'tr
board - Federal authority o r4i-e t.e
rates of fare FIR electric street rts.na.
| They pointed ouf that the narterarrr
of these public utilities was udiSper
To war production and that thev offered ftr
only means of carrying miiinns r' "ar
workers from their homes n fte tacrorIa-
( They referred 70 the correspondent ae-
tween the comptroller ~ the nIrreury
the secretary us the treasury and thr
President IN which anxious concern wa-
expressed as ~ the financial condition oi
such companies. and state and uUnicnHl
authorities were urged - be equitable in
their supervision u them. sp thar 'hev
might effectively serve their most lnpor-
tant purpose In this CRISIS.
The war labor board recognized tlc
weight of this appeal and prepared A
memorandum 70 the President. recon-
rnending that Federal authority fe eTer-
clsed in the premises % FaIse the rates ri
fare on electric railways when u any par
ticular case increased cost ~ operation
and efficiency Of service demanded fhlS
relief The board entertained no DOUBT y.
the power 81 Congress during the period
Of the war 70 fix fares On such railway,
20 maintain their efficiency lAc eougrf~-
sIOnal power 10 ralse rates charged o. i.r
public On such railways gas exercised
during the Civil War rs maze n ior -'i-
eraI taxes imposed Oh le 9MpLl4eS ~
power 70 TX prices - copper. "2al i4d
other commodities - freely Tllerclsed tlv
I Congress during tHJ- aig .lls -ts source
ID the war eILergeasE
The ri gAts d. the people - .1W i4r,-
secured by the local franchises ui street
railways may be waved Tor Ecm ~ ~"
CITY 0r ne state u time ui peace. la
time II war. when Congress tecumer
supreme IN matters u defence ana offence
Congress may waive those rights and -tl--
--aG -beEn for the war. Whether the I'rr>i-
dent has, under existing feieral .-glsl--
non. he authority 20 exercise TINS power
i mucn more doubtful II he concludes.
4pou consulting his legal adviser. raag .lr
does uo, have il Congress should 4J ONCE
zIve Il 10 him.