The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-09
WHAT WILL THE HARvEsTSBE:

WHAT WILL THE HARVEST BE?
1t is expected that another advance
in the wages of all members of the
railway brotherhoods will be an
nounced in a short time. This will
add greatly 20 the expenses of operat-
ing the railroads. The cost of opera
ton already is far in excess Of the
receipts. For all these increases in
expenses the public sooner or later
must pay either in increased rates or
in taxes. And Director General Hines
would continue this situation for five
years.
Less than a year ago the Railroad
Wage Commission made its report
recommending advances in wages to
employees which it was estimated
would amount to about $500. 900, 900
a year. There were numerous COM
plants that the advances made were
too small. The first employees to be
granted an additional advance were
those in the shops, VINO were gives
more than the commission had rec
commended. Director General McAdoo
then appointed a wage board COM
posed of three railway officers and
three officers of employees organiza-
lions. After receiving the recon-
mendations of this board, theA director
general made further advances in
the wages of the shop employees
roughly estimated at $15O,00O,0OO to
5000, 100000 a year. This was the
first of a series OF advances made
to special classes of employees which
have amounted to $500, 900, 900 a year,
and which, with the advances made
on the recommendations of the wage
vances to date under government.
$500, 100000 a year.
The shop employees who were
granted the first special advance last
year have recently presented a petit
ton for another large advance. 1t
is estimated that the advance now
asked would amount to $150,OO0, 900
a year. If another advance in wages
should be granted to the shop en-
ployes. of whom there are over $780,
900, there would Immediately be re-
ceived petitions for at least proper
Tomato advances to the other mill
lion and a half employees. If another
advance should be granted to the shop
employees, it is hard to see how it
could be refused to other employees
since the shop employees are both abb
solutely and relatively among the
highest paid men on the railways. To
begin another cycle of advances in
wages would mean further increases
0f de 0F 30 LII
nually in railway expenses.
The expenses of the railways are
now out of all proportion to their
earnings, in spite of the large in
creases in rates. The government in
Cured a deficit of over $4,000. 900
in operating them in the months of
November, December and January. 1t
must advance the rates again to
avoid a, huge deficit in 1919 even if
wages stay where they are. Every
further advance in wages will mean
a corresponding increase either in the
deficit that the taxpayers must pay
or in the rates that travellers and
shippers must pay.
Have railway employees, whose wages
now average As per cent more than a
year ago, says the Railway Age, a
better right to still further advances
than the public has to protection from
the increases of taxes, or rates, or
both. that further advances in wages
would render necessary? That is the
question really raised by the beginning
of a new movement for advances in
railway wages.