New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-02-03
R. R. LABOR BOARD y
GIVES Arguments
Opposes Abro8aton Of Nationlall
Wage Agreement &
3.-Arguments

against abrogation of the nationa
wage agreements between the raft
roads and their employees already
laid before President Wilson am
members of congress by brotherhoOt
leoders. were presented today to thu
railroad labor board. =
Since the request of w. w. After
bury of the Pennsylvania lines 70
relief from these agreements was lai,
before the board Monday, represeIfta
tives Of the employees have been pre-
pairing their rebuttal which B. n
Jewell president of the railway END
ployes department of the America.
Federation of Labor was to presen,
Members Of the board int te'
that decision may be reacl d
executive session Friday. Mr.. ~Attel
bury declared the railroads need e
economies was so urgent many OF {
roads faced bankruptcy. Il
We are convinced said a tel
gram to President Wilson signed
Mr.. Jewell and six other organizatid
leaders that he (Mr. Atterbuf
| wishse to take advantage Of the ter
! porary unemployment and the u
fortunate economic condition of
railroad workers which the railro1
| themselves have intensified, to cru
our labor organizations"
I'VE shall show that there is ecC
omic justification for wage redu
| lions and that a reduction in q
| wages and that of other wage earne
There is no doubt that the tel
porary requirements of the railrOa
could be financed by the railro
bankers if they were as much intere
ed in the maintenanced of railrc
! credit as some Of them evidently
in crushing labor organizations
| reducing wages.
! If the public expects us to ms
tain the spirit and letter of the
and to rely upon judicial settIen
of differences in an orderly Ay,
| must be protected against II af-
vised efforts of Mr.. Atterbury and
associates who are violating the
cedure established by law and
cause of an absurd and impos
obsession for destroying labor or
izations are resorting to met
which are indefensible and opp
to the public welfare" .&&E
At the same time Mr.. Atter
supplemented hia statement be
the board Monday by messag
President Wilson showing the
crease in the number of employs
in payrolls during the period Of
eminent control. go
I'm the year OF 1917" the nae
said, "befcre government opef
was adopted, the railways emp
3O2,S2S machinists, boiLeTma
blacksmiths, electricians, air
= men, car inspectors, car rep4
, other skilled shop employees and
chinists' helpers and apprentices
y 1920 when the number of log
. tives and cars to be maintaineS
only slightly larger than in 1917!
had 443,774, an increase of 1.
or AZ per cent. The total eG
to these employees in 1917 -
S7O,549, while in 1920 afte9 tn
: vance in wages granted by the
road labor board last July
wages were running at the RI
approximately $500, 100000 a ye
increase over 1917 of $50 per c,
Another class of employees il
: ed in one of the national agree
. is the clerks In 1917 the raj
employed 184,063 clerks, WIFI
1920 when business was norma
were employing 23S,693 clerk
increase of 20 per cent. The
wages paid to clerks in 191
9,009,506. After the wage
made by the railroad labor boa
wages of the clerks were runni
near as can be estimated, at til
y of $399,3OO,00O, a year, an in
of 112 per cent" e'