New-York tribune., 1920-07-21
Heads of Brotherhoods
Will Determine To-day
Whether to Call for
Referendum of Men
1SP. c. Increase i'm
Freight Rate Asked
New Insurgent Unions in
Last April's Strikes Do
Not Share Award Made
to Eighteen Groups

CHICAGO, July 20 (By The Asso-
ciated Press) Whether the specter
Of nationwide rail strike has been
laid by the s600.O0o,OoO wage in
crease granted to-day to more than
100000 railroad employees re-
NAMED undecided tonight.
Brotherhood officials, after all-day
conferences, made no attempt to con-
ceal their disappointment that they
did not get all of the billion-dollar
Increase they had 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 recommend
alton, to a referendum of the men.
4 decision on this point was prom
ised tomorrow by w. G. Lee, Of
Cleveland, grand president of the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.
Railroad representatives accepted
the award philosophically, and i'm
mediately set about plans for pass
ing the 5000 100000 addition to their
wage budget along to the ultimate
consumer, in this case the man who
pays the freight.
Roads Ask Rate Advance
Armed with advance knowledge as to
what the award would provide, the
railroads had their figures ready
Judge R. NJ. Barton, chairman of the
Railroad Labor Board, had hardly
handed down its decision when E. T
Winter, representing the more than
400 carriers involved, announced that
the roads would need an increase of
IS per cent in freight rates to meet
the wage boost. The Interstate Com
merce Commission will be asked to
spread the increase over both freight
snd passenger rates.
The 100000 900 award represents a
z per cent increase in the pay of the
railroad men. For the first time in
history the roads pay rolls this year
VIII pass the three billion dollar mark
Ar. Winter estimated the 1920 pay rolls
at S9,S44, 100000. more than double the
a468,576,394 paid in 1916.
The boards award was made retro
active to May l, with provision that
back pay for three months falls due
August l. when S15O,000,0 900 is to be
distributed in addition to the regular
pay. Yard service engineers, firemer
ana helpers. who received an hourly
Increase Of IS cents, will get the big
gest back pay checks, their three
months award totaling s11O.16.
Percentages Are Uneven
In its decision the board followed
the broad general policy laid down BY
,ne Lane Commission, appointed II
iiSiS, that the man who received the
least should get the most. On per
centage basis the biggest increase:
went to the unskilled and semi skilled
iaoor, while .he conductors, engineers
and shop crafts, the so-called "aris
'ocracy Of the road" received smallel
percentages.
The one notable exception to thi.
general rule was the yard service men
wnose Is cents an hour increase topped
sli others. Here, the board explained
me deciding factors were the extreme
hazard TO life and limb and degree o,
skill required.
Io-dsy's award, if it is accepted b.
.ae men, will bring to close. at leas
lor the present, the board believes, thu
seemingly endless cycle of wage de
mahds from the railway workers. Start
ing with the demands of 1916, which
ssre met for time by passage Of tn
AoamSon law, there has been an almos
SSohtinuous procession of rail unions
before various government boards an
pay.
U. S. Had Asked Truce
When the government took contro
u the roads in December, 1917, i
.olRd pending requests from man,
~Hlons tor more money. The Lane Com
anssion responded with a graduate,
ssale ranging from 43 per cent in
Ease Tor the poorest paid men t
SosIihg Tor those getting above $249
Ioneh. A series of adjustmentsN fol
wed Less than year later, in Jan
vary 1919, Director General Meade
seeceived request from the shop craft
ssshlng that he add another S800,000, 90
the wage budget to meet the risin
sDSt OF living. The request hung fir
~. many months. In August of las
sear President Wilson appealed to tn
.n Leh to wait and give the government
rance to reduce the cost of living
4uey waited until this wear, the
pressed their requests again.
= Again the matter was deferred. q
.saerai control of the roads was abou
! ~ end. In February Congress passe
tccntInucd on psss 81