New-York tribune., 1919-01-26
Bags of Vegetables
Exhibited i'm Boat
" age Controversy
And Along With Them Come
a Bill and Comparative
fable of Old and Present
Prices of Grocerie S

Potatoes. eggs, onions, beans, coffee,
corn and raisins were exhibits at yes
terdays hoarmg Of the harbor boat
mems wage controversy before the
War Labor Board Bags of them, with
q bin showing how much they cost,
were introduced to countcract any
effect upon the board that might have
been produced by statement from
the boat owners purporting to show
{hat between last July and January s
'he prices of ninety-six food staples
had declined 3.5 per cent
This statement carried tabulation
nade FOR the boat owners by Daniel
T. Kelly, public accountant, showing
comparative prices of various grocer
les. Juss before adjournment Frank
II Walsh, counsel for the affiliated
unions of boatmen. produced the po-
iatoes and other articles. lie said
they had been purchased by marine
worker after canvass to find the
cheapest possible place.
Here Is the Bill
The bill accompanying them, which
was introduced in evidence, showed
the following prices.
Onions, cents pound; eggs, 60
cents; raj Ans, l6 cents; coffee, 81
cents; car Of corn, 10 cents potatoes,
cents for two pounds; lima beans,
dried, Is cents.
And if anybody can get them any
cheaper, he can nave these,' said Mr..
Walsh
George Lins, of the marine depart
mont of the New York Central Rail
road; Robert s. Clark, tugmaster Of
the New York, New Haven & Hartford
Railroad; Henry Nj. Lee, a hgbterman
OF Bronxviile, and Edward j. McClees,
chief of the wage bureau of the rail
road administration, Eastern region,
were among the Witnesses heard.
Mr. Lins said that 10 per cent of the
men in charge of the 1.844 railroad
barees and lighters operating in the
harbor lived with their families ON
Inc boats and thus saved house rent;
also they actually worked an average
Of three hours day, although on duty
ten, and were paid time and half
fer overtime.
Captain Clark said the railroad tugs,
operating on a hour basis, with
two shifts of crew, lost three hours a
dav ON account of the shifts.
Objects to Tug Change
Mr. Lee, the Bronxville lighterman,
said the twelve-hcur day on the tug
boats, ten hours ON the lighters and
eight hours for the longshoremen
fitted well into each other and any
change particularly to eight hours on
the tugs would be detrimental to fast
freight handling.
Paul Bonynge, counsel for the boat
owners. directed Mr.. Lees attention
to newspaper clipping quoting a
statement of William G. McAdoo for
mer director general of the railroad
administration. to the effect that the
limit in wage increases practically had
been reached.
The contribution of Mr. McClees
was a tabulation showing the increase
of the cost OF living and the increase
of wages granted to all classes of har
bor workers. This was q chart, COW
cring the years 1908. 1915 and 1918.
1t allotted 43 per cent OF the average
wage income to food, Is per cent to
shelter, per cent to light and fuel,
Is per cent to clothing and 30 per
cent to "sundries." 1t was admitted
as evidence without objection. After
Theodore L. Burgess, counsel repre-
senting the railroad administration,
had introduced New York Times
clipping of yesterday, showing a slump
IN various food prices. the board ad-
iourned TO meet Monday.