Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1920-02-15
Public Opinion
RAILWAY wOI,kERs TAKE
ENtEi'IION To EDITORIAL

Editor Of The News.
While the following article is moi
10 he considered A. rcpreseniing thu
orlnlon NJ the entire public. II II ut
least the opinion OF a majority ol
the railway employees of this city
Tho editorial In The News OF Fri
day morning. under the heading OF
Another Responsibility" mention
cd the fact that II IN easier to In.
crease tho pay OF men who are al
ready receiving Fancy Price foi
their Sork. than II Is TO reduce those
wages even when the cost OF living
IL reduced"
The railroad men Of this city take
exception to the fact that they are
being quoted as already receiving
FANCY PRICE" FOR their work
! and will try 10 prove to the readins
and thinking public that the words
FANCY PRICES" can hardly be APP
propriaisly applied to the amount re-
/ ceived by any 81 the railroad work
crs. aud certainly could not be ap-
piled Ia the general run OF railway
workers when an intelligent com
psrisoR between the wages paid
them and the wages paid other In.
dusirial workers IL made.
when the railroad worker. es'
pcclaily man in train service,
presents fairly good size paw
check. the average person. not
connected with railroad work. who
should happen 10 see his check. very
seldom stops to consider the amour,
OF time required. under dlfficsit con-
ditions.. and AZ the present daily rate
OF psy. 10 earn anything Ike rsas.
enable living wage. The only fair
and Just way TO make a comparison
OF the amount OF compensation re.
celvcd by railway workers as against
the same compensation received by
other industrial workers. Is to com
marc tho daily rate for q man work.
ire eight hours. 90 DAYS a month.
The average daily rate per day OF
eight hoars for railroad skilled labor
! ls approximately $3.50. Compare
! this With the average daily rate for
killed workmen In industrial wcrh
In this city. such as carpenters.
nlnrrbers. etc. which II 1890 a day
AZ ,h, saem time compare the aver.
are daily rate for skilled railroad
labor NJ si.s3 with the average daily
rate for unskilled labor following
industrial pursuits In the city. per
eight hour day. which Is 1851. Tn
skilled railroad labor averages. fof
an ciEst hour dsy. t3.sS. skilled
mechanics. plumbers. etc. In rail-
road service. receive a daily rate for
an eight hour day. OF s5.7G. making
monthly compensation for a 20
day month OF sii9.7C. skilled auto
mechanics. and various other skilled
merhs mics In Amarillo. receive an
average daily wage per eight hour
dav. Of Ss.O0. or q monthly compen-
saiion fc- 20 day month. OF s2Os.
Railroad car earpenters are paid .
dallv rate NJ 1886. which amounts
TO si3s.ss for = 20 day month. Car
penters working on the bnildings
which are being built In the city
today. are receiving q daily rate OF
sa.e0 for an eight hour dav. Or
total compen sation ~ 1884. for 20
dsv month. eight hours per day.
The railroad men have never put
forth any objections 20 the amounts
raid the workers following other In
dusirlai pursuits IN this city. or any
other. and are always glad 10 pay
their share: but the editorial men
I toned above seems 20 them like APP
( plying . flame 70 an already critical
situation a. far ~ railroad workers
J are concerned We believe that had
the Editor given the article the con-
alteration and f0rethought which an
article OF that kind. at the present
time should command. he would
have hesitsted for some time before
making the statement that the rail-
road workers we're receiving Fancy
Prices" for their work. Almost o
minimum OF careful examination
would dispel any such thought from
the minds Of those who are at pres
en-, taking other writer's words af
their beliefs
The article also states that the
people are paying the bills which are
caused by the increases In wages
granted the railway workers. We
certainly agree with SIR. Editor that
the people are paying these bills
But. who are the people? L. moi
the greater portion Of this great Re-
public Of ours composed mainly OF
people engaged IN commercial pur-
suits ~ some kind The country Is
nov demanding increased prOduc-
ton IN order 10 reduce high cost
The railroad men believe. and have
very sood grounds Tor believing, that
IN the producing class they come
sccOnd oaiy to the farmer. The far
mer prodnces what D. necessary "a
permit Of the existence In cities OF
other Industrial workers. The rail-
road men produce TRANsPoRTA-
1 HrnE .mE DEMONSTRATION a. eha M =