Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1920-05-17

chicago May 16.-The heads of the
,.-.-...- -aIfroad brotnernoods issued a
statement tonight expressing apprehen-
-, .. fa tl.. effect Of the further delay
i. ,-..f.-- tn. workers demands Tor IN
..-...r v.a,. The brotherhood ofhcers
..-...I .- chicago for the resumption TO-
....,--.e OF ...r.urs before the railway
f.H.- IarrI Or rhe question oi seneru
NO. sH.are. for railway employees
rH stif.u.1t follows
.rr.. ..rrtr. Is face to face with the
-..r... .. a breakdown in transportation
s.-i-. Already the efficiency and safe
%. ~ trl s.r.Igr haas been seriously I'M
r..-.H Iy fH. action of thousands OF en-,
.t-,.s Who voluntarily have quit 10 hno
t.--.- ---.. rI=ewherr. The car short
--- ...g tr-.rferinr 20 ston the wheels
gf au industry in the country is one OF
,r- a-.- effects t-aceable to the failure 10
..--,,r. ff. "a. fuay workers with a living
,--. Moreover. railroad travel is he
--,. me- rrg.rI1us bv reason Of the reduc-
t.-- ta almost onc-third in the NUMBER OF
t-..t walkers whose duty IT is to guard
.ra -..fe n-aiust causes Of wrecks ana
5trr- accidents. 49, -. .,,,
..a fh. chosen representatives OIL 1he
tvr4 million railroad workers We nave
.,.-, confidence that the decision OF the
r.1-aad .sto- nosri In the wage question
v.fr which it Is now engaged VIII De
---.fah,e ard just and arrived at with all
..-..-.fr. 4r--d Uut. acutely conscious OF
81. --,,.-, OF the situation in the trans
-,-..tir- Industry. We feel it our duty 10
.......rt tho country with the essential
facts. H.
-yvs have presented our case for Nv
f-- va-r for the workers. Expert opin-
fo. r-.dirlfrd on incontroveruble facts
irdiriiss that the lowest figure at which
. family or five can be maintained II
haafr and reasonable comfort is S2'9oo
wear
.1v. have also submitted evidenc'
------r f.at ONLY . IL per cent OF th'
whole army of railroad workers are re
caiv.-r living wage today TINS sma'
,,.-rrrfare IS composed almost wholly o
division officials. general mechanical lore
--r- and other supervisory groups.
~pf fhe whole army OF wage Worher
boz tho transportation industry in IN
r-,r.I states today. "a per cent. OF thei
families ar, underfed, 60 per cent ar
,i-Ta-cIotr.d and 81 per cent Of them ar
or.rr-ouiad or inadequatrly housed. o.
fte bssis oT what is accepted rs the. mos
accurate estimate OF "a bare suhsistenc
l.,.l or earnings. which IS SlIo0 yeal
IS r.r sent OF the cuuntrys railwa
urorfars arr attempting 20 MAINTAIN thei
farrIr.A below a bare subsistence leve
Nor. than 100000 railway employees n
not earn in q normal working yea
sfc--. below which figure nearly three
quarters OF the families are under-nour
irref and sevrn-sights are mderclad.
-f.~. .- fhe entire transportation sys
TEN of ff- country not with its unskille
faio~r-r alone. below the level Of suhsist
enc. but with seven-eighths Of its entir
working force below this level and
large proportion actually below the stai
walton ware- Whole classes. the larges
classes in the railway service. must fac
the rr1suect Of seeing their famiie
without the harcst necessities Of physic;
u-eu-he.nr. while only a small proportio
can Iook forward after nearly lifetin
of service TO attaining an approximate
Co normal comforts
"The average yearly wage paid to III
entire number Of railroad workers in III
United States today is S1.2S0.30 for
normal vrrkiur year Of 3U6 eight -hoU
days. allowing nothing for sickness. enel
renry er regularity Of employment
Compared with Si.70o. the lowest suhsis
.ncr wage budget worthy Of considers
ions and s-.-a1. the bureau of laroT sta
I=tcs minimum comfort budget fc
Washington I'd o.. this average aIou
should o. sufficient to compel immediat
relief for the railroad workers Of n
country
Under such conditions rs we hay