Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-05-18
ALDERMEN In MOVE
ON r. r. SITUATION
Adopt Resolution Fayoring'
"vacationists" Getting Pay
Increase, Seniority Rights

length-going on record as favoring
the railroad 'vacationists" being
granted an increase in salary, the re-
fnstatement of their seniority rights
and the boards being opposed ito
the policy of spending the publics
money to make serfs of our citizens"
This resolution was adopted only after
about two hours discussion both at
the committee meeting and regular
business meeting. A recess was taken
while the discussion on the topic was
being carried on during which the
twenty-five railroad men on ''vaca-
tien'. present at the meeting. told
their side of the case through their
spok Joseph Maloney.
The resolution will be brought be-
fore Mayor Frank Dorsey for his ap-
proval. When questioned this morn
sign 1t, he said he had not yet looked
over It in its entirely and could not say
what action he would take.
Prior to the adoption of this long
resolution which goes into details
another resolution. much shorter and
covering much of the same ground,
was laid on the table by vote of
four of three.
Despite the fact that the resolu-
ton which was introduced by Alder
man John ]. Clark met with consid-
erable opposition on the part of sew
eral members of the board during
the committee session, 1t appearing
as though 1t would be voted down
when brought up at the regular ses-
sion, the resolution was passed with
the aye votes of six of the seven al
dermen. Alderman Albert G. Waters
refused to vote in favor of the reso-
luton. he declaring that 1t was one
sided and he did not like to go on
record as favoring some of the state
mn N
his stand Mr.. Waters said:
II am In favor of an increase in
the wages of these railroad men and
also that all men be taken back with
their seniority rights but i object to
the condemnation of our government
and public spirited citizens who have
offered their services in this emer-
gency."
Although this appeared to be the
view taken by other members OF the
board earlier in the meeting, Alder
man Waters stood alone when 1t
came to the actual showdown" In
casting the vote for or against the
adoption of the resolution.
Following is one of the extracts
from the resolution, which was dis
cussed and suggestions made mat
It be eliminated or changed, but
finally went through without al.era-
tion:
III Is not enough 10 "
shame those very public spirited
citizens who manned the trains IN
oraer to break the strike, and might
We ask what calibre Of man will the
student make, when at his present
age he stoops to deprive those rail-
read men of just compensation. and
what about the college faculties that
allow it? Or perhaps 1t is not so mach
the public snirit that induces those
students to act as strike-breakers as
Il is the high wlges and the princely
keep"
The resolution as adopted follows:
Whereas. in view of the fact that
the railroad men in the various
terminals Of the country are on vaca-
ton, which is having the effect Of
stopping the wheels of industry, and
will undoubtedly cause a serious food
shortage In a very short time, 1t is the
duty of this as well as all public bo-
dies, to take some action that will
bring about an adjustment of this
serious situation.
During the fall of 1918, the men
referred to as strikers were granted
an increase in pay amounting to six
cents per day. and that at a time
when the cost of living was soaring.
At that time the world conditions
were such that the railroad men ac-
cepted this slight increase hoping
that they In due time would get prop
er consideration.
"During the summer of 1919, when
the Brotherhood chiefs took up with
Director General Hines the matter
of an increase, that would compare
favorably with increases granted to
all other crafts. Mr.. Hines referred
them to President Wilson The Pres
ident requested the men to hold off
for about three months and give him
q chance to reduce the cost of living.
At the expiration of the three months
living costs had been increased very
materially instead of being reduced.
'The matter OF an Increase of wages
was again brought to the attention or
the director general of railroads, who
on February first informed the men
that the railroads were to be restored
to private ownership on March first
and on that ground he refused the
increase When the roads were re-
turned to private ownership the men
presented to the general managers
their just requests, which were met
with a fat refusal. BY this time the
men who could see their living ex-
uenses mounting higher and higher
- ID no prospect of wage that would
4eet such increases and feeling as
though their own chiefs had been be-
traying them. in distraction lost better
- Al
to force some sort of an Increase that
would meet the mounting living costs.
After the men quit work. President
Wilson appointed a wage adjustment
board and the men offered to go back
to their jobs in order to avoid food
shortage in the cities that were faced
with serious situation and also that
the wheels of industry might again
begin to turn. This offer was met by
the railroad managers with an ulti-
matum that the men could only return
as new employees and that none would
be given their old rights. and that the
men could only get runs that the
managers would see fit to assign them
to, which would mean that a man may
have been employed for period of
twenty-five or thirty years previous to
the vacation" and who had day
Job, might me assigned to a night job
that might bring him to some point
away from the town in which he now
resides.
paid at the rate of forty four and one
TN five years we have seen the
price of sugar, potatoes. eggs. butter,
-four and many other articles increas-
ed three hundred per cent while rents.
clothing. shoes and other necessary
mmodities increased from one hun
dred and fifty per Gent. As We ride
along in our passenger trains We see
the trainmen in that branch of the
1r>J T. 3T.A