The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1919-11-28
100000 RAIL
PAY INCREASES
Hines Would EquaIize Wages
of Underpaid Men by Add
ing g$3,U0U, 600 a Month.
UNIONS AGREE TO ACCEPT
Other Demands of Brotherhoods Not
Met, But Conferences Will Be con-
tinued-WouId Pay Crews of
Slow Freiqhts More.

WashingtOn.-A proposition of time
and half time for overtime to train
service employees in the slow freight
service, including the rrainmen and
enginemen, has been made by the
United States railroad administration
to the four railway brotherhoods, it
was announced by Director General
Walker d. Hines. 1t is estimated the
net cost of the advance to the govern
ment will be $3,0O0,OO0 a month.
This proposal, Mr.. Hines said, bears
on the most important matter under
consideration with the representatives
OF the train and enginemen's organi-
cations during the conferences with
the director general and other officials
of the railroad administration in the
last two weeks
In his announcement Mr.. Hines
stressed the fact that the proposal
was for the purpose of making read
JuStmentS necessary to avoid unjust
inequalities in the compensation of
different classes of railway employees.
1t does not represent departure from
the stand taken by the railroad ad-
ministration, and approved by the
president, in opposition to wage in
creases for entire classes until the
whole question of the high cost of liv-
ing had been thoroughly attacked,
with view to it's reduction.
The concessions made, which are
in the nature of compromise with
the demands, are for time required to
make runs in excess of what would be
required If an average speed of 12k
miles per hour was maintained. A
provision is included that all arbitra-
ton and special allowances now paid
in various forms of freight train serv-
ice are eliminated for the railroads as
whole, The time and half for
overtime does not extend to the pas
senger service.
The increase would affect trainmen,
firemen, engineers and conductors, but
more particularly those employed in
the slow freight train service.
These employees have all the disad-
"
of time away from home at their own
personal expense, and yet have not
the advantages of the larger compen-
satiOn enjoyed by employees in fast
freight service and also in passenger
service, making much larger mileage
in the same or shorter length of time.
1t is these employees making large
mileage in a comparatively short time
who are frequently accepted by the
public as indicating the standard of
compensation for men in all train
service
1t is estimated that with the aver
age speeds now made by slower
freight trains, the net cost of this pro-
posal will be approximately 100000
per month. Undoubtedly, however,
the proposal would have the effect of
correcting many extreme cases of
trains being kept an abnormally long
time upon the road, and to the extent
that this condition can be so correct
ed the cost will be reduced.
There are many other questions
affecting working conditions of train
men which have not been decided and
to which no reference has been made
by Mr. Hines in public statements.
It's understood that the proposal
will be accepted by the brotherhoods,
as virtually covers the conclusions
reached during the recent conferences.
Explaining his reason for rejecting
parts of the brotherhood demands,
Mr.. Hines said that full time and
half for overtime in road service was
not justifiable as a punitive measure,
because as a rule, it is not economical
to run heavy freight trains at a speed
as great as would be necessary to
avoid payment of the overtime sought.
He believed, however, that the plan
submitted would mean the elimination
of'.certain excessively long runs with
resultant decrease in hours of labor.