Evening journal., 1919-08-26
TBOLLEYMEN MAY
ACCEPT TEN-CENT
RAISE, NOT STRIKE
oontInued from FIrst Page.

OF the company.
The carmen after receiving the re-
ply, hurried TO their meeting hall and
discussed the matter. Notices were
prepared calling for vote on the adop-
/ tion or rejection OF the company's offer
and these were taken 10 the carbarns
and posted.
Just what action VIII be taken on
| the desire OF the traction company TO
/ increase fares is not known. p. j..
! Isaacs. president Of the Board Of Pub
] lie Utilities Commission, Is absent from
/ the city on his vacation. 10 Is thought,
/ however, that he will be advised OF
/ the attitude Of the company and spe-
/ cial meeting Of that body might be
held, providing the employees agree not
10 insist on the recognition OF the
union by a formal signed agreement
and agree TO accept the i0-cent wage
raise.
That the traction company has the
support OF the business interests OF the
city in its present plight was evident
at conference held yesterday between
officials Of the company and the Cham
Der OF Commerce, when II was said tho
Chamber OF Commerce was willing 10
assist the company in securing the s.
cent fare. The question OF aiding the
company financially was also cOnsid-
cred but nothing definite was done.
The reply made by the company TO
the employees who had demanded an in
crease in their wages was as follows;
I'VE have just been advised by the
American Electric Railway Association
that there are. approximately, 625 COM
panies operating In cities n this cOun-
try, and that the associations records
show that only eleven companies. or a
little under two per cent. Of this total.
pay their trainmen as much as 60 cents
per hour. They also advise that there
are a great number OF companies which
pay less than 45 cents per hour as a
maximum, or a lower scale OF wages
than the present rates ia Wilmington.
Company's Deficit S37,OO6.
THE slx-cent fare became effective
In Wilmington on June IS. 1918. The
result OF the company's railway oper-
ations in the State OF Delaware for the
twelve months from July 4, 1918, 10
June 30. 1919 as per statement flled
with the Public Utility Commission.
shows a deficit OF s3IOO6.45. The six
cent fare was In effect during this en-
tire period, and the present scale OF
wages has been in effect since August
20. 1918, except the overtime allowance,
which was not effective until January
10. 1919.
THE company estimates that for
every 1 cent per hour incrase In rs
pay roll, there will result an increased
operating expense OF $4,000 In
other words, a cent increase would
amount TO $4,000 per annum, a 10 cent
increase would amount TO $4,000 per
annum and a 70 cent increase would
amount to s2s50OO per annum. 10 Is
therefore apparent that II the IS cent
increase demanded by the men had been
in effect during the year ended June 30
1919, the cOmpany's railway deficit in
Delaware would have been 800 006.55.
1T is therefore. apparent. also. 70
every fair-minded man that the COM
pany is financially unable to give its
trainmen any increase In wages with
the present six cent rate OF fare.
Based on the actual traffic figures |
for the year ended June 30, 1919. 70 |
will require more than a Z cent fare |
to pay a 3 cent increase in wages; more
than an s. cent fare for 10 cent per /
hour increase in wages. and no fare l
which could be asked Of the public
would be sufficient to pay the IS cent
per hour increase. for the public OF
could not afford 90 patron
lze the cars.
The company recognizes that there
has been an increase in the cost OF
living since the present wage scale
was established and believes that the
tralnmen are entitled TO some increase
In wages, provided means can be
found TO pay II. As stated before.
only eleven cities (such as Chicago.
Boston. co. out OF the CPS are able
to pay a wage OF 60 cents per hour.
and these cities have gross earnings
per mile Of track and per car hour
greatly I'm excess Of Wilmington. Such
a rate would not only discriminate
against the company, but would
effect the interests Of the
public, upon whom would fan the
burden OF paying the very large in-
crease in fare which would be neces-
sary TO meet the raise in wages.
Want Increased Fare.
THE company owes a duty 70 fhe
,itizens Of Wilmington and vicinity.
he community which II serves. and
also has a sympathy with its en-
oloyes, who also, from the nature Of
ho employment owe a correspond
ng duty to the community. We be-
ieve that the cost OF the trolley ride
o the public should be increased. In
'iew OF the greatly increased expense
n operation, not only for labor. but
or material, coal, paving obligations
o the city, etc, and we believe the
'atrons OF the trolley company. upon
'election. win recognize that this Is
'nly fair. We wish 10 give this com
nunity good trolley service. and.
where humanity possible. without an in
eruption OF such public service.
The Wilmington and Philadelphia
fraction Company has received YOUR
OF August IS, and the
anne has been most carefully consId-
red by the officers and directors OF
he company. .L
Before answering the subject mat
er OF your letter, relative 10 the in
rease Of wages, and with the wish that |
ur employees should at all times have
efore them the actual conditions which
onfront the traction company we beg
cave to submit the following facts:
"The company has been paying its
since August, 1918, the same
Gale Of wages fixed by the United
tates War Labor Board last summer
)r cities Of this character. This scale,
'hich was deemed proper at that time
y the War Labor Board, was based on
le then cost Of living. is still in effect