The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1921-06-01
Of Amount
|0f Increase Last July
Is Deducted
lower SCALES IN
EFFECT JULY 1ST.
Nearly Four Hundred
Million To Be Cut
From Salaries.
Associated Press

hH5bb1atSu ANob
CHICAGO, June l.--Approximately
,vo.thirds of the wage increase grant
\ ihe railroad employees by the
Railroad Labor Board last July, was
mdpred deducted, beginning July /, in
dscision of the Board announced to-
asy. Nearly four hundred million dol
IN IL is estimated, will be cut from
the salaries of the railroad employees
hinder the ruling of the Board. In
t,sses granted last year amounted
Unfortunately to $600,00O,0O0.
In the case Of the general class of
maintenance and way laborers, the en-
line increases Of eight and quarter
cents an hour was withdrawn, while
IN other classes cuts ranged from 13
to IS and from ten to six cents an
Aom compared with the awards of
last July. The general average de-
crease in places was twelve per cent.
The wage reductions which were
ordered by the Railroad Board to-
day have resulted from combined
Ehearing involving 104 railroads which
Killed petitions to cut the wages of one
or more classes of employees. The
hearing began on April 1S and the
labor and railroad representatives
were each granted one week to pre-
sent their cases. The final date for
Submitting evidence was set for May
&l6, and the Board has been at work
Ion the case constantly since that date.
4 Reduction in the wages of lab0rers
/ in other industries and the declining
{eost of living were set forth by the
Railroads as the basis of their plea for
Flower wage scales. The winter slump
II business materially hastened ac-
ton in the endeavor to cut down the
[country's railroad pay roll and many
railroad officials declared before the
board that their roads would be in the
hands Of receivers unless immediate
Erelef was provided.
The campaign for lower wages was
begun in February when Brig. Gen.
|W ". Atterbury, vice president of
Pennsylvania Lines, first demanded
the right to hire unskilled labor at the
rate prevailing in each roads terri
/ tory. Gen. Atterbury brought this
demand TO the board during the hear
\ Ing on rules and working conditions,
which the board has not yet disposed
Of. At. the same time Gen. Atterbury
demanded immediate abrogation Of
the national ship crafts agreements,
which, he declared, would further re-
duce the railroads labor bill by $780,
100000.
The board, however, took no action
on the demands at that time and it
was not until the following month
mat distinct wage causes came to the
boards attention. The Erie Railroad
and the New York Central Lines then
'ook steps toward reduction by pre-
sentlng the matter to their employees.
NO agreement was reached, however,
and the deputies finally reached the
labor board.
PROVISIONS of the Transportation
Act of 1920 require that before any
alspute is referred to the Labor Board
ootA employees and employer shall
nave made a sincere effort to effect
settlement. In case no agreement
can be reached, the case may be re-
Tered to the board by one or both
Parties. The board then summons the
asputants and holds a hearing at
which both sides are given opportun-
NY 10 present their arguments.
Following their hearings, the Erie,
.hleh !. had already put a reduction in
iorce, was ordered by the board to re-
ssore the former rates and the New
iofk Central was denied permission
% make an immediate reduction, pen
Jung Y hearing of the merits Of the
aspute. Defeat of the efforts of both
ROADS to cut wages was then the sig.
aal for a deluge Of cases which began
% pour into the boards offices. Re.
alizlng the futility of attempting to
separate a hearing on each dispute
ae board combined all the cases fol
we hearing which resulted in today't
decision.
!, nieer only one days deiiberation
we y board made public a resolution OF
I may II stating that prevailing condi'
u0ns justified a readiustment down
ward and that a new wage order
would be issued on or about June !
= oe effective July /. The decision
aseweyer, I is not as comprehensive al
~ which granted the $600,0O0,0o(
sase increase to railroad workers OF
sa's 20, 1920. Reductions under to
say's decision will be effective only
" she classes Of employees named b!