Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-02-14
Labor Organizations Assert
Amount Is Necessary for
Them to Maintain Standard
of Living,
LACK OF SKILLED MEN
TRACED TO LOW WAGE
Engineer Testifies Railroads
Never Entered Winter With
Such Rotten Equipment as
This Year.

fsv soss'-s JOURNAL spse,Al LEAsGp wissl
Washington, Feb. 13.--The first Of
ficial indication OF what proposed
railroad wage Increases would cost
was given at today's hearing before
the railroad wage commission, when
]. A. Franklin presented the claims
of the railway employees department
of the American Federation OF Labor.
Figuring an average OF 80 Ia per
cent increase on the flat increases
asked. the additional cost would BIO
$50 900, 900 annually" Secretary Lane.
chairman of the commission. com
puted.
Include Unorganized Men.
Mr. Franklin said the estimate
seemed correct based upon increases
for 250.000 organized men. He also
had suggested that any increases
should apply to unorganized workers
of the same trades. numbering 26o,-
600. who were not figured in .the
rough calculation, The wage basis
asked was So day for skilled mon
such as carmen. machinists and black-
smiths, $3.50 a day for helpers. and
time and half for overtime, Sunday
and holiday work.
None of the witnesses has submitted
estimates of what the increases re-
quested would cost. all apparently
taking the position of A. p. Garretsof
of the conductors, who said that Il did
not matter what the cost would 10
since the increases were essential To
maintain the standard OF living and
that IL an industry did not maintain
the men serving H. the industry dtd
not deserve to survive.
Skilled Men Quit.
Low wages have been blamed by
witnesses for the exodus OF railroad
workers to other industries with tie
result that many skilled men have
been lost, Mr.. Franklin said thu
various shop unions he represented
had lost S per cent OF their member
ship to shipyards and still others 20
munitions factories. iss@
Warren s. Stone of the engineers
this winter have the railroads entered
the bad weather season with equin-
ment in such rotten" condition and
said lack of skilled men in shops were
responsible for curtailment OF output
there to go per cent of normal He
said there would be no shortage Of
engines IL provision was mado to care
for motive power.
Living Cost Problem.
A. 70, Barker, speaking for the
Brotherhood Of Maintenance of way
Employees. said his men were on ths
verge of quitting because they saw
living costs mounting steadily without
advance in wages.
J. h. Parsons and F. r. Weller OF
the American Association Of Engi-
neers said the roads were handicapped
for professionally trained engineers.
who were offered jobs at $40 to $50 4
month after spending four years in
college and perhaps going in debt sew
eral thousand dollars for technical
Education.
P. f. Richardson Of Chicago said
men In the mechanical and bridge
building trades were leaving to take
81 to 80 day more wages in other
employment:
Mr.. Franklin's representations to
the commission resulted in the first
mention of increased freight rates ss
a means of providing therevenue ncc-
essary to meet the new, expenses. 1,
shippers Must Pay.
These increases must be paid by
the shippers observed Chairman
Lane, "but I don't think you should
be barred from reasonable wage be-
cause IT might entail an increase in
freight rates" N
Comparison Of railroad wages with
the pay in other industries brought
suggestions from the commissioners
that the large wages In shipyards and
munitions factories were due to ab-
normal conditions and were tempo
rary The witnesses did not agree.
Mr.. Franklin said shipbuilding ceri
tainIy was good for several years
more and called attention to increases
in pay in coal mines, which he said
made common labor worth more than
skilled labor in railroad shops.
Increases Tnbulated.
Increases suggested today were 80
bridge builders; $3.25 to $3.50 a day
for section mens who are now paid
s2.10: section forenen s110 to $40
la month instead Of $55 to $50; masons
$3.50 a day; mason foremen $3.50 q
month; interlocking signal builders.
SIS a day$ carmen. blacksmiths. ma
chinists, etc, minimum Of rs cents an
hour, and helpers 5sN cents an hour.
no increase to be less than 25 cents
an hour: engineers a minimum OF 80
day. All urged time and'a half for
overtime.
The civil engipeers aid not ask any