The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-09-05
SABOTAGE DONE BY
RAILWAY OWNERS

road employee is not an exceptional
revelation, but typical of reports
Railroad Democracy" is receiving
from other quarters. It is such con-
ditions as this letter disclosed which
show that a Government investiga-
ton is essential. Sabotage by the
agents of the private owners to de-
feat efficiency and economy under
Government control has plainly
been practiced with uniform sue
cess. and along uniform lines. A
probe is the first duty Of a Congress
interested in the welfare of the
people. The letter is written from
prominent railroad center, and
says;
Almost daily we read and hear
about the great and steadily grow
ing deficit brought about by the
railroads being under Government
control Various reasons for it are
being put forth. and it is possible
that those reasons are correct. The
average man is not we'll enough
posted in such matters to contradict
them However. there are times
when we wonder If there are not
other causes in addition to those al
ready stated which may have in a
measure helped to bring about this
deficit
For instance, in the yards at
this point, prior to the time that the
Government took charge, there were
four yardmasters, and this at a
time when business was exceptional
" good. Shortly after the Govern
ment took hold of things, this force
was increased to ten men, and they
are still there, all drawing substan-
tial salaries. We used to get along
with two or three trainmasters,
with an occasional extra put on for
special duty. Now there are four or
five, and the extras. The road fore
man of engines had one or two as
sistants, and now there are five of
them.
"In the various shops at this
point they had one or two foremen.
Now they have as high as fifteen or
twenty and even more in some of
the shops, and in some cases the
foreman has only one or two men
working under him. In some OF the
offices the clerical force has been
doubled and even trebled, and in
one particular office only short
time ago they had so many clerks
that they we're continually getting
in one another's way. Various Of
ficial and supervisory positions
have been created and the holders
of them have been on a substantial
salary.
And there are other matters that
might be mentioned in connection
with this. Some time ago a man
was needed to fill temporary va
cancy in clerks position which
paid 1920 per month. To fill the
position an employee whose salary
was $3.50 per month was taken from
his regular position and used to fill
the 1920 position, and given a cou-
ple of days in which to post up on
the work. To fill his position
$50 employee was moved up and
allowed the higher rate of pay and
to fill the vacancy thus created a
$40 man was moved and allowed
the higher rate, and all the time
there was a 1920 clerk available
who had worked the first named po-
sition and was acquainted with the
work.
After a certain class Of en-
ployees had been given the eight
hour day they were for long time
kept working twelve hours and paid
for the overtime at overtime rates,
and were told that men were not
available to relieve them, and at the
same time men applying for posi-
lions were being told that men were
not needed.
The material sheds and yards
are filled to overlooking with ma
terial of all kinds, cars loaded with
it are being held out of the service
for days at a time, because the men
in charge do not know what to do
with 1t and where to put it, and still
IL keeps coming. A foreman some
time ago stated that they have
enough on hand to last them for the
next five years. What do they in
tend to do with it, and Of what
good will it be if it is not used up,
and allowed to lie around in the
weather for the next three or four
years?
What l have written is partly
the result of my own observations