The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-01-14
CHARGES ARE MADE
AGAINST RAILWAYS
Employees Claim That Conspiracy
Exists to Create Unemployment
and American People Are De-
frauded out Millions By
Cost Plus System

Chicago, Jan. 11.-Charges that
American railroads are in conspiracy
to create unemployment and are de-
frauding the American people out of
millions of dollars through operations
of cost plus system of contracts
with equipments and repair compan-
les were made today by representa-
tives of employees of the roads, ap-
pearing before the railroad labor
board. The railroad operators pre-
sented counter testimony all after
noon and will conclude their state
ment tomorrow.
The employees charges, which de-
clared that 80 per cent. of the rail-
road mileage in the country was con-
trolled by the Morgan steel interests
asserted that maintenance costs had
been inflated at the expense of the
public. This was done, according to
the state of B. M. Jewell, head of the
railway employees department of the
American Federation of Labor by let
ting contracts to equipment COM
panies, controlled by the same banks
that controlled the railroads."
Under the guarantee of the Esch-
Cumminfis act, the alleged inflated
costs constitute a fraud against the
United States government and oper-
ated to throw out. Of employment
more than $4,000 skilled railroad en-
Mr.. Jewell said.
Declaring that the charges had no
relevancy to the hearing on rules and
" working conditions under considera-
tion before the board, E. T. Whittier,
chairman of the managers committee
of the railroads, asserted that they
were made to divert public attention
from the matters in controversy"
Examples designed to show in
equalities in present rules. were re-
cited in detail by Mr.. Whittier. He
declared the present national agree
ments should not in the interests of
honest, efficient and economical man
ageemnt be continued and said uni
versal application of their provisions
was impracticable because the only
parties fully qualified to consider
such regulations are individual man.
agements and the employees them
selves.
Mr.. Whittier urged return to the
piece work plan. He declared that
was recognized as the most efficient
method of operation and attempt to
show what had been accomplished
under the piece work system as COM
red with the same work now done
by the hour.
SPECIFIED hours and restricted
starting times were deplbred in num-
erous examples brought out to show,
Mr.. Whittier said, uneconomical prac-
tice. Overtime and extra shifts were
cited on several roads to show that
the work done could be performed
by regular shifts in regular hours If
the roads were not restricted by the
present rules.
The case was cited of Norfolk &
Western machinist who arrived Isl
minutes before his call and was in
to fix a broken water glass
as emergency work. He performed
Is minutes labor, according to the
testimony and under the rule had to
be paid for three hours and 20 min
utes at time and half.
Numerous other examples were
presented as evidence Of the rail-
roads contention that the present
rules are unjust. Statistics were given
for eight months on the Norfolk &
Western in 1920. In January there
were 2,733 calls, with 6,087 1-2 hours
actually worked. Hours paid for to-
tallad IL 665 under the rule. with