Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-02

, "A ~ ~ W. Il ~ AcAo
making still additional increases in
rates for the purpose of paying still
additional increases in wages to be cs
tablished under existing peace condi.
tions and 10 bc controlling as the wage
basis in the future.
The question presented for an ad-
ditional increase in wages, whether the
total amount be $500. GOO 900 or any
! proportion of that sum. is n peace time
question between the entire American
public. on the one hand. and the
, 1000, 900 railroad employees and the
| members of their families on the other
hand. II is question which ] do not
believe the executive ought 10 under
take to decide unless specific authority
is conferred upon him for the express
purposc of deciding it.
The fact that these demands are
made and are so urgently pressed en-
phasizes the great necessity of having
for their decision legislation which will
provide adequate machinery represent
ing both the public and the employees.
| Obviously any such machinery should
! include method whereby revenues will
be provided to the extent required to
pay the increased wages awarded.
"While the general powers implied
In the federal control act were suf-
fCient to admit of taking as war mca
surcs any necessary steps to deal with
the wage problems tnat arose during
the war. they are sufficient to satisfy
| the requirements arising in connection
with any present proposals for general
wage increases.
Under the existing machinery the
ultimate public interest is exclusively
represented by the railroad administra
! ton in the making of wages, but by
| the Interstate Commerce Commission
III the final decision upon rates. More
, over, the railroad administration while
thus charged with the nnal decision a.
to what wages are proper AS between
the American public and railroad. labor
is also charged with the responsible
ticN incidental to day to day operation OF
the railroads. On the other hand. q
decision by the railroad administration
against an increase in wages will be
regarded by the employees as n decision
dictated moro by cnc immediate diff
ficulticS Of railroad management than
by the broad interests of the public a.
n whole.
Magnitude of the Problem
"Thc receipt cf the Observations OF
members Of the board with reference tn
the shop cn'nloycs the hearings now in
progress before 'AC board with reference
t. the i;rulhrrhC cd of Railroad Train :
men. thH conferences | have had in the
last three days with the representatives
of the shop employees. and the confer
cnccs which my associates and I have
been having recently with the reprcscn E
tativcs OF practically all classes OF
railroad labor with reference to tn"
menace in the continued increase in the
cost of living. force me- to tho definite
conclusion that the problem is ton great
and has too much permanent significance
to the American pubic as we'll as tC
railroad labor to admit of its being de
cidod through the exercise Of the war
emergency powers of thr federal control
act, which are subject to the linita
tions and cmharrHesmcnts above 0oint
ed out. feel that the developments have
now reached the point whore the situa
ton has taken a sufficient concrete
form to Sc"vr as the basis for a positive
recommendation.
Il therefore respectfully recommend
that CONGRESS- be asked promptly f.
adopt lrgis'Gtion providing pr.pcrl,
c0rst tutnd body of the publ" on whir!
tabor will be adequately represented
md which will be empowered TO pas
on these and all raiI"oal wHSr prc'
Ions but not on rules and working
conGtons (hecausc the latter cnunot
be satisfactorily separated from the cur
rent handling of railroad operations ana
therefore should continue to be lralt
with by the railroad administlN timIl.
"Such legislation should also provide
thAt if wage increases shall be 1ocidc
upon it snail be mandatory unOn tht
rate making body TO provide the ncr-
c%snry increased rates to take care o
the resulting increases in thc cost al
operating the railroads.
; Il do not think that we can properly
deal with rhiS great problem without Il
full recognition of the fact that thC
cost Of living is rapidly rising and that
every month that passes promises to
impair still further the purchasing
rover OF the existing wages of railroad
employees unless tn" rice in the cost Of
living can be success, fully restrained
, (as earnestly hope in th" general pub =
Iic interest it can speedily be-. I there.
fore further recommend that Congress
be asked to provide in any such lcgis-
t lation that any increases in railroad
wages which may be made Ey the tri E
, bunal constituted for that purpose shall
bc made effective as Of August | 1919,
to such an extent rs thar tribunal may
rCrarl reasonable and DrODpr in order