The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-04-11
NAeE ADVANCE
FOR RAIL MEN
IS S. MILLION
Directors Order Affects -Four
Brotherhoods' Members,

WASHINGTON. April ll--Wage
advances aggregatins $65,0OO00 were
ordered today by Director General
Hines for four hundred thousand rail
road engineers. firemen. trainmen and
conductors in both passenger and
freight service--members Of the big
four railway Observation-Disclosures
tive since January ], 1919. The
brotherhood demands for time and a
half pay for overtime was granted
only for men engaged in yard service
and for the others thi, question was
referred TO the railroad admnistra-
tons board OF adjustment No !, al
ready created for consideration OF
disputes relating TO railway trainmen
and enginemen.
oi6o Per Year Per Man.
The increases were arranged ac-
cording to a contemplated schedule
one OF the aims OF which was TO re-
store the wage relationship existing
before the railroad, increase in
wages last year. The average ad-
vance in pay per man per pear will
be about $l60
The action practically completed the
war cycle OF wage increases granted
railroad men since the government
took over management, OF the roads
fifteen months ago. Only few minor
requests for more pay remain TO be
acted upon.
Total Advance One Billion.
Including today's order the aggre-
gate pay increase allowed by the rail
road administration to the two million
railroad employees is at the rate OF
@2. 900 a year, more than $4D
average per man. Thus the total pay
roll OF Americas railroads is raised
nearly 10 5000 100000 a year from
the basis Of approximately 20WW-
600 on January |, 1918, when the roads
passed into the governments hands.
The &5,00O000 added to the pay
rolls of members OF the "big four
brotherhoods brings the total granted
this class OF employees in the last three
years to approximately NSWOOO,
or approximately 500 per man.
This takes into consideration the
$l4000,000 estimated as the brother
hoods increase last year. and $1,000
600 estimated as the gain for these
men from the Adamson act which es-
tablshcd a basic cipht-hour day but
did not put into effect the brother
hoods pleas for time and . half Tor
overtime.
Back pay for work since January
|. will be given the brotherhood men
as soon as railway paymastefs can
work out the amount due. This may
take month or even more to com
ple,e.
In announcing the increase Director
General Hines explained that the same
principles were followed, as were ap-
piled BY the railroad administration
during the war. These principles in
cluded the adjustment Of wages to liv'
ing costs and to various classes OF
employment.
Other Wage Advanced
In the first general wage advance
made BY the railroad administration
following the recommendations of the
railroad wage commission approx
mately $500 100000 year was dis
tributed among the railroad employees
About $l40O00N of this went &c
trainmen and enginemen and about
500 100000 to other empl yes. Or
supplemental orders, about SlOQO,-
O00 was added to payrolls OF the shop.
tnen, about the same 10 maintenance
pf-way men and clerks and about N5,.
10000 TO telegraphers and station
agents. Railway accountants calcu'
lated that 1916 and 1917, the years i'm
mediateIy preceding government con.
troll. the railway companies increased
wage, $3NOO0OOO. With the $S2,'
100000 added by the railroad admin,
israticn the aggregate advance o'
railroad mems wages in three years Il
set At approximately $l,l7200W, OF
about $3.50 per man. The railroad
payroll in 1917 was calculated at ST..
5s0OOOOOO. In 1918 at S2s380WW(
and this year at S2,S22WOOW.
Comparatively small increases II
nav are expected for dining car and
sleeping car employees.
Wage Situation Analyied.
Director General Hines in his analy-
III, of wage situation under govern.
ment control explained that At the END
OF last year employees wages had been
raised TO a rate which would have
added %s4,8ll 900 to the aggregate
railroad pay il it had been effectiv,
throughout the entire year. He added
to this the sum OF so 10000 to cover
increases for the brotherhood men il
the order today and for dining car
sleeping car and police employees. The
aggregate for the latter three classe,
10 estimated al about 2,500,0D, leav-
Inn approximately SS,O0O,0O for the
brotherhood men.
Halt Billion Average IN 1919.
The actual payment under increased
ware orders last year was SSJ8OOO,-
900, according to Mr.. Hines calcula.
tions. Railroad companies estimate
the wage increase at nearly 10000
10 more than the railroad admins
ration
Railroad accountants calculate that
about 81 $lM0M0W a year will b,
forthcoming from the rate increase
n --l.-.A