The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1920-07-21
RAILROAD MEN RECEIVE
HUGE WAGE increase
Six Hundred Million Dollars Awarded
by Railway Labor Board to
Workers in United
States.
CONSUMER MUST PAY BILL
Railway Officials immediately Go
About Plans to Increase Freight
and Passenger Rates or All
Lines.

Chicago, July 20.--Whether the
spectre of nationwide railway strike
has been laid by the $6OO,O00,OO wage
increase granted today to more than
100000 railroad employees tonight re
mained undecided.
brotherhood officials, after all day
conferences, made no attempt to con-
ceal their disappointment that thew
did not get al lof the billion dollar III
crease they asked. The belief grew.
however, in the absence of any talk of
an Immediate strike that the union
officials would submit the award.
probably without recommendation to
referendum of the men. A decision
on this point was promised tomorrow
by w. G. Lee, of Cleveland, grand
president of the Brotherhood of Rail
way Trainmen.
Railroad representatives accepted
the award philosophically and imme-
dlatcly go about plans for passing the
! G00,000,000 addition to their wage bud
get along to the ultimate consumer
IN this case, the man who pays the
freight. Armed with reliable advance
knowledge as to what the award would
provide the railroads had their figures
ready.
! Judge r. NJ. Barton, chairman OF the
United States Railway Labor Board
had hardly handed down his decision
when e. IT. Whittier, representing the
more than 4C0 railroads involved, an
noCnced thatthc roads would need an
increase of IS per cent in freight
rates to meet the wage boost. The In
terstate Commerce Commission will
be asked to spread the increase over
both freight and passenger rates.
Three Billion Mark Passed
! The $G00,000,000 award represents
21 per cent increase in the pay of the
railroad men. For the first time in
history the roads payrolls this year
will pass the three billion mark. Mr..
Whittier estimated the 1920 payrolls at
$3,344 ,000, 900, more than double the
81 ,4G8, 8,576,394 paid in 1916.
The boards award was made retro
active to May |, with provision that
back pay for three months falls due
August /, when $50, 100000 is to be
distributed in addition to the regular
paw. Yard service engineers, firemen
and helpers who receive an hourly in
crease of 18 cents, will get the big
rest back pay checks, their three
month saward totalling $11O.16. In its
decision the board followed the board
general policy laid down by the Lane
: commission, appointed in 1918, that
the man who received the least should
; get the most.
The one notable exception to this
general rule was the yard service men
whose 18 cents an hour increase topped
all others. Here, the board explained,
the deciding factors were the extreme
, hazard to life and limb and degree of
; skill required
, Endless Cycle Of Demands"
Today's award, if it is accepted by
, the men, will bring to close, at
least for the present the board be-
licves the seemingly endless cycle Of
wage demands from the railway work
, crs, starting with the demands of
: 1916.
= An analysis of the decision shows
, that the $60O,00O,OOO increase will 90
, to the larger classes Of employees in
; substantially the following basis:
Railway clerks and freight hand
lcrS, 1923, ,0000 900.
Maintenance of way employees, $1G0,
298O0O.
Engine and trainmcn, 1857 100000
Railway shopmen, $139, ,237,O 900.
The remainder will be divided among
he station employees, yardmcn and dis
patchers, and marine employees on
tugs, ferries and other railroad
harbor boats.
Nearly $4,000 employees of the Amer
lean Railway Express Company are
not included within the provisions Of
today's award. The board will open a
hearing Thursday to pass on their
demands. Only blacksmths, clectri-
clans and other shop employees of the
, express company, some $500 in num-
Der, are affected by today's decision.