The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-05-21
THE UNDERPAID
RAILROADERS
(By Charles M. Kelley

mated by large section of the
press that is loyal to privilege and
hostile to the producers of the ma
ton, a considerable number of Amer
leans have enormously imbibed the
idea that the railway workers are
the recipients of large salaries. That
there is no basis for this belief, how
ever, the railroad labor board, now
sitting in Washington, hearing argu-
ments of brotherhood officials in sup
port of wage INCREASE demands, is
now learning.
When a general wage readjust-
ment was requested last June by
their representatives, transportation
workers were receiving relatively
less for their services than was being
paid to others engaged in less ex-
acting and less hazardous employ
ment. Since then the situation has
become progressively worse. Today
hundreds of thousands of workers
are receiving as wages less than is
required to maintain themselves and
their dependents in decency and COM
fort. These men are suffering actual
hardships. While Congress, in ex-
shareholders, was voting giant sub
sides and guaranteeing returns on
investments, real and fictitious, the
rail workers were given promises
that the government would force
down the cost of living and, there
fore, higher wages would not be re-
quired But the cost of living has
been constantly mounting and wages
have remained stationary, and the
result is widespread distress and suf-
fering on the part of workers.
The public is being force by the
production of unquestioned facts
bearing on this condition to concede
that, after all, there is justice in the
demands of the workers for a living
wage-"a fodder wage" it has beer
described-and the railway managers
are learning that their widespread
and expensive distribution of lies has
not permanently helped railroad theil
case.
eve and our families are starving
on the low wages paid us, we could
not keep our children in school, and
we decided we might just as well
starve not working" was the an.
swer the workmen who recently left
their employment gave to labor lead.
ers who urged them to return tc
work and await the decision of the
railroad labor board.
Acting President Shea, of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Fireman
and Engineers, in forceful manner
presented the claims of the workers
to the board. "The time has come,
he said, "when our people say they
will no longer be patriotic to be
plundered, not patient to be pauper.
lied. They have learned by bitter
experience that their landlords are
not patriotic, and that their grocers
are not patient. They are fed up or
promises, and they are dead, dog
tired of delays"
And Mr.. Shea made other state
ments that held the attention of the
members of the board. eve have
been patriotic" he continued "AnC
we have been patient. We were pa
triotic while the thousands and ten!
of thousands of war millionaire:
were being created. We have beer
patient while the profiteers have
paused in their orgy of ill-gotter
gains only long enough to sky
rocket prices still higher and make
a mockery of our governments prom.
Use that living costs would be re-
duced. All that we ask at the
hands of this board is justice and g
square deal without delay"
In comparison with the increased
cost of living, which is determined
by government agencies at 81 pei
cent over the prices that prevailed II
1913, it was pointed out to the boart
that an overwhelming majority o.
transportation workers had received
in actual money increase of wage:
averaging 1875 per cent. Accepting
the eight-hour day concession as {
wage increase, this sum would bt
increased to approximately so pei
cent, which leaves At per cent, due
these workers if they are to bt
restored to pre-war conditions.
eve are living in the most crit
cal time in our history" declared
w. S. Stone, Grand Chief of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi
neers, when he presented the claims
of members of that organization
"This thing cannot go on with this
constant climbing spiral, cost of liv
ing and wages trying to catch w
and never doing it, because there i:
a smash on ahead somewhere. Some
remedy must be found other thar
a question of wages if we are going
] to exist as nation"
And other leaders spoke in thu
| ctp L
or read their statements can longer
doubt that the transportation work
ers of this nation have been shame
lessly treated by the railroads anc
the government and that they ar,
entitled to long-denied justice anC
an opportunity to live decently anC
comfortably conformable to Ameri
can standards.
Railroads Want Another Billion
The railroads Jared we'll when con
gress gave them directly 100000,
900 out of the public treasury as re
volving and replacement funds, anC
in addition guaranteed them a re.
turn of 6 per cent on their capital
zation, including water and every
thing. But the railroads are in.
satiable in their demands.
Owning Congress, the managers
know of no reason why they should
not make the fullest use of then
possession. Therefore, they are pre-.
pairing to ask their puppet legisla.
tors to vote out of the treasury ar
additional gift of a billion dollars
= This is over and above the huge sum
that the government will be COMPEL
ed to pay the railroads for deficits
incurred in operation during March
and September, pursuant to the pro-
vision in the railroad bill which
guarantees the railroads against loss,