The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-23
RAILROAD MEN
TO PUSH DEMAND
Timothy Shea Testifies Before
Administration Board of
Working Conditions.
ARE AUTOS NECESSITIES

Washington, Oct. 23.--Indication
railroad employees will insist on grant
ing of their demands for increased
wages, time and a half for overtime
, the eight-hour day, and changes in
working conditions before the rail-
roads of the country are turned back
by the government to private control
is contained in testimony by Timothy
Shea, chief of the firemen's brother
hood, before the railroad administra- :
tion's board of railway working con-
ditions.
Mr.. Shea told the board during
its hearing of the flremen's demands
according to the testimony published
today, that to members of his
brotherhood was due an increase in
wages, which, he said, "if | cannot
get it out of this conference, it may
be necessary to use other means, but
| am going to get it,"
Although Mr.. Shea appeared be-
fore the board only in behalf of the
firemen, it is generally considered that
to Increase the wages of the firemen
would necessitate similar increase
to an railroad workers and any action
taken by the fremen to enforce their
Na f7kT httShittAasf Nouid blNoiNt Slllllltl
action by the other brotherhoods.
han Autof,nobiiel a Necessity?
When Mr. Shea told the board he
did NOT think ~ possible for working
peQpie Ho katrtaA expeaditures any
more, W. r. Morse, who was general
manager of a railroad before becom-
ing a member of the board, asked:
do you represent any men who are
buying automobiles and those
things?"
81 do not hear" the witness re-
sponded, "of any firemen buying
automobiles"
"You would not regard an auto
mobile as n necessity, would you?"
Morse again queried.
"Yes, | would" was Shcs's answer.
"Well, I have denied myself a ne
cessity all my life" Mr., Morse re-
torted.
81 think we have reached a period
of our life when the laborng man
must enjoy some of the necessaries
and luxuries of life" Shea continued.
81 do not think the time is at hand
when the American worldngman
should be required to make any great
sacrifices now. They have made their
sacrifices"
Dispute Over Comparisons.
Shea and A. o. Wharton, who left
the presidency Of the railway en-
ployes' department Of the American
Federation of Labor, composed of the
shopmen. to join the board, accord
ing to the testimony, engaged in a
controversy over comparisons made
between the pay of tiremen and shop
men. Mr.. Wharton declared he knew
of inexperienced firemen who had
received pay increases of 140 per cent.
Shea protested this did not apply
to the majority of the men who had
received advances OF only so per cent.
compared with So per cent. increase
in prices.
"As a trade unionist," Wharton as
serted, Il have never dreamed that
q man representing a labor union
would bring before the tribunal data
which shows such an incorrect pic
ture of the condition and the earn
ings of the men as you have pre-
scnted"
Getting into o discussion of piece
work and tho fireman who receives
q full days pay for run which he
do you know of any other class
of employees who have established as
n condition of pay system that
would permit them to draw a full
days pay and not give in return
therefor the number of hours serv-
ice constituting a days work? The
piece worker in the shop produces for
each minute the amount of work rep
resented by the price paid
Shea replied that the condition OF
the road and of the locomotive and
the density of traffic would determine
how quickly a man could make his
run.
Various technical questions con-
sumed much of the hearing, the most
important Of which was the installa-
ton of labor saving devices on heavy
engines. The railroad administra-
tion has been unable to obtain con-
sent of the railroad corporations to
make expenditures for such equip
ment.
UNLESS you do relieve the firemen
from abe hardships to which they are
subjected" Shea said, at will be nee
essary for the organization to press
its claim for two firemen on large
locomotives"