Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-29

HreS1denC wilson maze TWO SIdIe
nents in announcing the decision
cached by himself and Directo
Hines in the shipments demands 70
higher wages. One was to the pub
ic and the other to the men them
selves. The one to the public fol
oWs:
A situation has arisen in con-
nection with the administration
of the railways which is of such
general significance that I think
it my duty to make public
statement concerning it, in order
that the whole country may
know what is involved.
The railroad shopmen have
demanded a large increase in
wages. They are now receiving
So, So and IS cents per hour.
This demand has been given
careful and serious considera-
ton by the board which was
constituted by the railroad adj
ministration to adjust questions
of wages. a board consisting Of
an equal number of representa-
tives of employees and of the OPP
Grating managers of the railroad
companies. This board has been
unable to come to an agreement,
and it has, therefore, developed
upon the director general of rail-
roads and myself to act upon the
merits of the case.
The shopmen urge that they be
entitled to higher wages because
present received by men doing
similar work in shipyards, navy
yards and arserals, as well as
in a number of private indus
tries, but I concur with the di-
rector general in thinking that
there is no real basis of COM
parison between the settled en-
ployment afforded mechanics by
the railroads under living condi-
lions as various as the locations
in surroundings of the railway
shops themselves and the f1uctu-
ating employment afforded in in
dustries, exceptionally and tenn
porarily stimulated by the war
and located almost without ex-
ception in industrial centers
where the cost of living els high
est.
Living Cost at Peak.
The substantial argument
which the shopmen urge is the
very serious increase in the cost
of living. This is a very potent
argument indeed. But the fact
is that the cost of living has
certainly reached it's peak and
will probably be lowered by the
efforts which are now every
where being concerted and car
ried out. It will certainly be
lowered so soon as there are
settled conditions of production
and of commerce; that is, so soon
as the treaty of peace is ratified
and in operation, and merchants,
manufacturers, farmers, miners,
all have certain basis of cal
culation as to what their bust
ness will be and what the con-
ditions will be under which it
must be conducted.
The demands Of the shopmen,
therefore, and all similar de-
nandS, are in effect this: That
we. make increase in wages,
which are likely to be permanent,
in order to meet a temporary sit
uation which will last nobody
can certainly tell how long, but
in all probability only for linn
tied time. Increases in wages
will, moreover, certainly result in
still further increasing the cost
of production, and therefore, the
cost of living, and we should
only have to go through the same
process again. And substantial
increase OF, wages in leading
AANAOe' VI AAASANSILy at L41IS LIAIlC
would utterly crush the general
campaign which the government
is waging, with energy, vigor and
substantial hope of success, to
reduce the high cost of living.
And the increases in the cost of
transportation which would nee
eSsar1ly result from increases in
the wages of railway employees
would more certainly and more
M a fva1T h
than any other enhanced wage
costs. Only by keeping the cost
of production on its present lev
p Ell, by increasing production, and
Ny rapid economy and saving
on the part of the people can
we hope for large decreases in
the. burdensome cost of living
which now weights US down.
Must Not Raise Rates
The director general of rail-
roads and I have felt that a
peculiar responsibility rests upon
us, because in determining this
question we are not studying
the balance sheets Of corpora
tions merely, we are in effect de-
term1ning the burden of taxa
ton which must fall upon the
people of the country in gen.
eral. We are acting, not for
private corporations, but in the
name of the government and the
public, and must assess our re-
sponsibility accordingly. For it
is neither wise nor feasible to
take care Of increases in the
wages of railroad employees at
this time by increases in freight
rates. 1t SIS impossible at this
time, until peace has come and
normal conditions are restored,
to estimate what the earning ca
pacity of the railroads will be
when ordinary conditions return.
There is no certain basis
therefore, for calculating what