New-York tribune., 1918-08-02
War Board Raises
Pay of Car Workers
In Sixteen Cities

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-Wage in
creases ranging from 35 to IS per cent
were granted to employees of twenty
two street and intcrurban railway COM
panies operating in sixteen cities in an
award announced to-day by the War
Labor Board. Wages of motormcn and
conductors in the larger cities were
fixed at from 48 to 501a cents an hour
and those of similar employees in
smaller cities and on interurban lines
at from 3S to As cents, with Il general
minimum wage Of AZ cents for track
men, pitmen controllers, oilers and
similar employees. Approximately 5O,-
600 we're affected by the awards.
Recommendations that the President
urge enactment of special legislation
which would enable some Federal
agency to "consider the very perilous
financial condition" of the street rail
way companies of the country with a
view to increasing fares wherever war
ranted were made by the board, which
declared this to be war necessity.
Past wrongs of street car companies
due to capitalization, corrupt
methods or exorbitant dividends should
be forgotten, the board said, and "in
justice the public should pay an ade-
quate compensation for a service which
can not be rendered except for war
prices"
Based on Local Conditions
The awards and recommendations
were made by former President Taft
and Frank P. Walsh, joint chairmen Of
the board, after extensive investigation
during the last two months, during
which large number of witnesses and
great masses of statistic were exam
ined. Controversies between employees
and sixteen other street railway and
lnterurban companies still are before
the board.
The wage increases awarded day
were on a sliding scale and varied, be-
ing based on local conditions and facts
peculiar to the individual cases. In
practically all instances the awards
were made retroactive, and all cases
where employees are compelled to work
in excess of the period of their regular
runs the companies must pay overtime
on the basis Of time and half, which
places the employees on the same basis
with skilled mechanics in government
industries.
In awarding increases to employees 8
'Ii hSliOlC dHu GHlCdEO, inc DOdrQ SDc-
cifcally recommended an advance in
fares.
Although not going deeply into the
question of labor unions, the board in
cases where the right of employees to
organize has been an issue, ordered
that workers be protected in the exer-
else of their right to join trade unions
without fear of molestation by the en-
ployer
A step to accelerate the method Of
graduating men from one wage CLASH
hcation to another also was taken by
the board, which arbitrarily fixed the
limit of apprenticeship on cars at one
year
A War Necessity
OF the proposed increase in fares.
the board sad
I'VE believe it to be a war necessity
justifying Federal interference. Should
this be deemed unwise, 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 question turning on
the history of the relations between
the local street railways and the mum
icipalities in which they operate. The
Just claim for an increase in .ares
goes not rest upon any right to a
dividend upon capital long invested in
tho enterprise. The increase in fare
must be given because of the imminent
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-c capitalization corrupt meth
DDS, cxorbitant dividends in the past,
aro not rcvelant to the question of
policy in the present cxigency. In
justice the public should pay an ade-