The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-26

differential under the rates paid in
other private industries. This question,
however. need not be decided. because
the decision made below will make the
rates for the railroad shop employees in
excess, II anything, Of average rates
shown in the evidence thus obtainable
from the Department of Labor for pri-
vRte industries.
Railway Charges Are Fixed.
I'm making comparisons for work of
similar character between wages in the
| railroad industry and wages in private
Industries. due consideration must al
ways be given to the fact that private
industries are frequently able to increase
, their prices TO the public without diff
Guilty 10 offset, and more than offset, in
| creases in wages. so that to a very con-
siderable extent the wages fixed in pr
vate industry are fixed without any
representation. either direct or indirect,
of the general public which eventually
! must pay the bill. on the contrary, the
| ra!lroa de, whether under public or private
| control, cannot increase the prices they
| charge; that Is, their transportation
rates except with the sanction Of public
authority.
so the question must be viewed from
| the public standpoint as we'll as from the
1
states the most careful scrutiny of rates
| OF pay which have been fixed by indus
| tries enjoying tremendous profits which
are not subject to public control Or
| course the wages paid railroad en-
| ployees must be not only reasonable IN
themselves, but reasonably satisfactory
| to the employees, and necessarily the
| general average rates normally paid
| elsewhere in permanent private INDUS
| tries for similar services are an I'M
! portant factor For consideration. But
| the distinguishing conditions must never
| be ignored.
! Cheaper Production First Duty.
| 1.-THE further claim is made that the
| cost OF living has increased. In a let
| ter OF August S, 1919. signed by the
executives of the six railroad shipments
! organizations, and also by the execu-
tives OF the eight other organizations Of
| telegraphers, maintenance OF ways men,
| clerks, the proposition is laid down that
| railroad employees are entitled to COM
| pensation which will. at least reestab-
| lish the pre-war purchasing power OF
| their wage.
THE way to reestabllsh the prewar
purchasing power Of wages Is to reduce
| the cost Of production and not TO in
| crease 1t.
THE Government is now taking vigor-
Gus steps TO reduce the cost OF living and
Is meeting with gratifying progress.
This great work would be arrested II not
defeated through the present adoption of
the policy OF moving up wages so as ito
reflect fully what Is probably the very
topnotcn OF the high cost Of living. Such
a movement would tend to Increase still
further the cost of living and injure
n
other person in this country.
| "In a statement presented to the Presi-
dent on July 80 w. S. Stone, president
of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers, said:
We believe the true remedy for the
. | situation and one that will result in
lifting the burden under which the
whole people are struggling is for the
Government to take some adequate
measures to reduce the cost of the
necessaries OF life to a figure that
the present wages and income OF the
people will meet Should this not be
considered feasible, we will be forced
to urge that those whom We represent
be granted an increase In wages to
meet the deterioration OF the purchas-
ing power Of the dollar. be that what
II may, which can be easily deter
mined by competent authority
Unfair 20 General Public.
wv. @. Lee, president OF the Brother
hood Of Railroad Trainmen, in a sum
! mary of a statement made by him be
fore the board of railrpad wages anC
, working conditions and given to tn,
press by him on July 81. stated that al
increase in wages was not the prope
solution of the present economic stres
under which working men are laborinI
because they will be followed by new in
creases OF cost OF everything whiel
would more than absorb the additions
pay.
II therefore believe It would be un
fair for the general public subversiv
of the efforts which the Government Il
making to reduce the cost of living, an,
Injurious to railroad employees them
selves, for the Railroad Admiaistra tiol
at this time to adopt the principle o
moving up wages of all railroad EN-
ployees so as to reflect the highest poin
yet reached In the high cost OF living.
such action would mean inevitabl,
an increase in freight rates, which woult
stimulate an increase In the cost o
everything consumed by the public, ant
would give innumerable pretexts for GOV
ering up additional unwarranted in
creases in prices on the claim that sucl
increases will be necessitated by the In
creased cost Of railroad transportation