New-York tribune., 1918-05-27

same services, the Director General
also explained, is in conformity with
government policies in other lines Of
employment.
The negro rule will affect many
roads in the South, where negroes are
employed largely as fremen, train
men, switchmen, laborers and for other
work. This. rule will become effective
June 1, but payment of back wages
will not include increases resulting
from the rule.
In addition to the rule regarding
womens pay, Mr.. McAdoo specified
that where women are employed their
working conditions must be healthful
and fitted to their needs" He said all
state or local laws relating to hours
and conditions Of employment must
be observed carefully.
The new board of railroad wages
and working conditions is composed Of
]. J. Dermody, vice-president of the
Sines, vice-president Of the Brother
hood Of Railway Trainmen; A. O..
Wharton, head of the railway employ
ees' department Of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor; F. F. Gaines, super
intendent of motive power of the Cen
trail of Georgia Railway; C. E. Lind
sey, maintenance of ways engineer for
the New York Central, and w. E.
Morse, general manager of the Denver
and Salt Lake Railroad. The latter
three have resigned their positions with
railroads. The board will sit in Wash
ington, probably continuously.
ut shall be the duty Of the board"
says the wage order, Ito hear and in
vestigate matters presented by railway
employees or their representatives af-
fecting inequalities as to wages and
working conditions, whether as to in
dividual employees or classes of labor;
conditions arising from competition
with employees in otner industries,
rules and working conditions for the
several classes Of employees, whether
for the country as whole or differ
ent parts Of the country. The board
shall hear and investigate other mat
ters affecting wages and conditions of
employment referred to it by the Di-
rector General The board shall be
solely an advisory body and shall sub
nit its recommendations to the Di-
rector General for his determination"
This order contemplates strong eff
tort to iron out many inequalities now
existing. The board will deal with or
ganized and unorganized employees
alike, and the railroad administration
on its own initiative takes up the
claims of railway clerks and other un-
organized men.
In the preamble to the wage order
Director General McAdoo said:
mo problem so vast and intricate as
that Of doing practical justice to the
100000 railroad employees of the
settled and disposed of by one deci-
sion or order. therefore the Board of
Railroad Wages and Working Condi-
tions is hereby established"
Appealing for the enthusiastic SIM
port OF officials and employees, Mr.. Nc
Adoo said:
1T is my earnest hope that railroad
ofhcials and railroad employees will
leail2e that their relations under Fed
conditions of private management. Dis.
Senslons and disappointments should be
forgotten and all should now remem-
Der that they are not only serving their
country in the operation of the rail
roads, but that upon the character.
quality. and loyalty of that service de-
pends IN large measure our success in
this war ~ee'S '''
1T is an inspiring task-this task of
pus!!Ing upon a more just and equitable
basis the wages and working conditions
OF loyal workers in railroad service.
I ana l confidently expect the patriotic
support and assistance of every rail
road official and every railroad employe
IN performing that task with credit
ana "a, with honor to their country"
me only provision for limitation of
earnings in the order is a rule that in
INDIVIDUAL cases where the new scale
PERMITS increases greater than is ap-
proprlate or necessary to those tram
men and. enginemen who make ab-
normal no amounts of mileage and who,
hliierreiore. hier make already abnormally
nlgh monthly earnings" officials of
each railroad may take up with COM
mi1tees' of men the question of limiting
mileage made per month by employees
paid on the mileage basis.
Special rates of pay are provided for
ONCE, messenger and shore boys. and
similar employees under eighteen years,
as follows; $40 increase per month,
where the pay in December. 1918. was
from $50 to $45 month; SIS increase
Wherc rate was from $40 to $50 a
month; $40 increase where the rate
was less than $50 month.
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