Evening journal., 1920-07-24
SI.l2 IL wage
FOR CARPENTERS
ConlInued dom Flrst page.l

Continued from First page)
The public interest, and not one or the
other side OF the dispute. We under
stand that the exact question for ar
hitration is to be gathered from the
letter OF June i6, 1920 We further
understand that our award viii be ef-
fcctiNo from the date OF the award
until May 1, 1921, and will be ac-
ccpted as binding by the partes 20
ihe arbitration.
Each party 10 the arbitration was
requested by the board to furnish
the following evidence
Il. The present wage scale. OF
union carpenters In Trenton, Chm
den. Philadelphia, Chester. Reading,
Lancaster and Baltimore.
-. The cost OF living for oarpen-
iens in the abOve-named cities. to
gelher with the cost or living in
| Wilmington
% Family budgets for Wilmington
carpenters. including a wife and three
minor children.
both sides produced the same evil
dence OF the carpenters wage scale
IN neighboring ciues: VIZ:
| Trenton, N. J. -......tt % per hour
"phiiadelphia, Pa -. ii2h per hour
/ Chester, Pa. ..-...-.. t.i2h per hour
l"Roading. Pa. ........ 80 per hour
4 Lancaster, Pa. ....... 70 per nOur
! "Bal alUmOc, Md. ..-... 10 per uour
"Ihe carpenters produced seven
witnesses. each OF whom had visited
/ one OF the above oities. They testl-
/ fed In detail that the cost OF food
and housing was substantially less IN
each city visited than in Wilmington,
/ being lOewSt In Lancaster and Read
| ing. Food prices In seven ncighbor-
ING cities werc from 10 per cent. 10
25 per cent lower than Wilmington
prices. This was especially true Of
meats, and In a lesser degree OF gro
ceries. Their testimony Is corrpbo-
rated by the statistics OF the u. >.
Department OF Labor.
'aThe board used a form OF family
budget similar 10 that approved by
the Bureau OF Labor Statistics or the
lU. s. Department OF Labor lsee form
OF family budget annexed IN Uis N-
mort and marked exhibit BY. IL was
willing 10 give full consideration u
me finding OF the Commission on
Industrial relations OF 1915. that TN.
welfare OF tile Slate demands tlal
Che useful labor OF every able-bodieo
workman should. as a minimum, DC
lcomnoneatod by Sufficient income u
s,tprort in comfort himself, a wife
land at least thres minor children
and in addition, 10 provide Tor SICK
rpss old acc and disability.
In considering the question OF
fair wage. the board considered th'
n,rr.heeine mower OF the money wage
N was hound to invcsticatc the cos
~ food. shelter, clothing, etc, re
mnired bv a carpenters family. INT
hoard recognizes the force or eco
lnomic law and the interest or noN
narlies In sufficient and abundan
work IL sought 10 flX wage NOR
fhan adequate for bare subsistence
and on the level OF decent comfort
The items. that appear fairly % e, envy
! into such cost, are rent ooal, lfsu'
. food. clothing. insurance, saNlnss
: reereaibon. doctor. dentist. contribu
4 lions. church dues, requirements le
corfare. newspapers and spending
. money. including Christmas giits
NrrnrrNis family budgets coNeT7nl
- such items were submitted by the car
q nenfors They were based on th
/ prosent cost OF Twins I'm Whmingt'
4 and were explained and supplememe
4 by oral statements, The lowest 70
2 tai budget WAS S22o3eS, Tor a csr
s penter with a wife and one cnlld. IN
s highest total hudgei was S2S2A SSl. 20
d a carpenter with a wife and iVe onll
o dren.
SIT was fair deduction from a
Z. Inc budgets, that a yearly income q
a S2i5000 was required to maintain a
a average carpenters family In a rel
! sOnable stale of comfort and we
lbcing. at the present cost or liNn
In Wilmington.
II there are forty-four tti) worl
ing hours In each week, there. Al
22SS working hours year, witho'
/, subtracting lost time. The testmor
OF the carpenters varies greatly as
the time host on account OF Wint
months, rainy days, illness, delays
b. ltransportine materials, etc Some "a
lg tify % losing three months or p p
r. oent.: others 90 losing two month
~ or i6 per cent. 10 Is fair 90 allow
p loss. of at least 40 per cent. Of p
.l- hours or 22q hours. leaving 20b9 wOr
m ing hours per annum as a miRlmu
Of pcriod on W.hich compensation shou
ng he based. To receive $4,000
Iis 2059 hours OF work, requires a wa
.e- of Si9 per hour.
OF Prom the proof submitted and
sir information obtained, the board I'm
eg thc following facts.
OK f. The present wage scale
De. union carpenters, Is SLIP - per no
ns. I'm phiad 3lphia. Chester and C2md
where the cost OF living is less On
IN Wilmington.
srs y. The cost of living IN NllmiI
ing ton Is substantially higher than
lle seven neishboring cities Of IT