New Britain herald., 1919-04-11

aPy or PfcsCnL lear Washington April 11.-Wage ad- vances aggregating $65,000,00O were ordered today by Director General Mines for s400,O00 railroad engineers, firemen, trainmen and conductors in both passenger and freight service members of the Big Four railway herhoods--retroact ctive since Jan uary 1, 1919. The brotherhood de- Inand for time and a half pay for overtime was granted only for men engaged in yard service, and for the others this question was referred to the railroad administration board of adjustment number one, already ere nted for decision of disputes relating to railway trainmen or enginehlen.
 Increase Is $16O Per Man.
 The increases were arranged ac cording to a contemp plated schedule, one of the aims of which was to re- store the wage relationship existing before the railroads increase in wages last year. The average advance in pay per man per year will be about $50. This action practically completed the war cycle of wage increases grant cd railroad men since the governm ent
 
 roads 5 months ago Only a few mi nor requests for more pay remain to be acted upon.
 S4OO Raise in Year.
 Including today's order the aggre- gate pay increases allowed by the rail road administration to the 2,000,00C railroad employees is at the rate ot S822,311, 900 a year, more than $40( average per man. Thus the total pay roll of Americas railroads is raised nearly to $3,00e,000,000 a year from the basis of approximately $2,000, O00,00O on January 1, 1918, when the roads passed into the government hands.
 The 65,000,O00 added to the pay rolls of members of the Big Four brotherhoods brings the total granted this class of employees in the las three years to approximately $275, 100000. or approximately s690 pe1 man. This takes into consid Iteration the $14O,0O0,000 estimated as th' brotherhood's share of the genera wage increase last year and $70,O00, 900 estimated as the fruit for thes men from the Adamson act which es abolished a basic 8-hour day but dit not put into effect the brotherhood pleas for time and a half for overtime
 Back Pay Is Allowed.
 Back pay for work since January will be given the brotherhood men a soon as railway paymasters can Worl out the amount due. This may tax a month or even more to complete.
 Tn announcing the increase Directo General Hines explained that tn same principles were followed as wer applied by the railroad administratio during the war. These principles in cludt@ the adjustment of wages t living costs and to various classes 0 employment.
 First General Increase.
 Tn the first general wage advanc made by the railroad administra tio following the recommendations of tn railroad wage commission, approxi mately 4O0,O00,000 a year was dis tributed among railroad employes About $40, 0,00O,OOO of this went t , trainmen and enginemen, and abou $260.000,000 to other employees. O supplem ental orders, about s15O,00O 900 was added to payrols of the shor men, about the same to maintenanc of Waymen and clerks and about s45 0OO,0O0 to telegrap phers and static agents. Railway accountants calcu lated that in 1916 and 1917. the year lmm ediately preceding governent cor troI, the railway companies increase wages $350, 0,000,000. With the sS22 100000 added by the railroad admin { istration the aggregate advance ( railroad mems wages in three years set at approximately SLIP. 100000 C about s5S0 per. man. The railroa payroll in 1917 was calculated at sl