The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-31
HARDING JOINS IN
Wants r. r. Labor Board and
/. C. c. Chiefs Aid.
Solution of Transportation
Problems of Vital Importance.
MUST CUT WAGE AND RATES
Immediate Steps Up to Two
Bodies He Decides.
Penn II. r.. Declares Present
Pay Roll Is Ruinous.
MUST CUT WAGE AND RATES

washington, March 31.-Presiffert
Harding will leave any immediate
steps in dealing with the rafiroad
situation to the interstate commerce
commission and the railway labor
BOARD 1t was announced at the whits
house today, following two-hour CON
ference between the executive ana
chairman Z. E. Clark of the Interstate
commerce commission, and r. r. Bar
ton' chairman Of the railway labor
board.
both the interstate commerce corn
MISSION and labor board are judfcial
sHuies Jse and therefore not subject to the
/ uilection or the president. but he ex-
poets to get from the two chairmen
oefinite ideas as to:
l.. HOW TO reduce railroad operating
e1sts ana whether wages of the em-
pioyes can be reduced
=. whether rates can be reduced in
operating costs come down.
Direct Action Denied.
1t was denied at the White House
tnat Harding contemplates takinr anv
acuon directly and it was insisted
.nat any measures taken will be thru
tne hands of the proper executive
agency.
1T is not the presidents purnoss -
go over the heads of ANYBODY in az
ecutive authority" IL was said - a.
White House. @e ina
No further conferences with tbs
Ialiroad or labor representatives have
stated officially.
Railroads OF Vital Importance.
At the start of the conference.
Harding was understood to have told
Doth chairmen he considers the pros-
perity OF the railroads as the basis of
tine prosperity of the whole Industrial
Worid ana that he believes something
their feet, 90
The Information Harding secures to-
aay VIII be laid before his cabinet to-
morrow With what Harding secures
from cabinet members, the data will
De the basis for railroad recornn end.
tions to be made in his message to
the special session of congress-
Ine problem of financing cotton
men also Will come up at Tomorrow
cabinet meeting.
Penn r.. r.. Meets Employees.
:. Pittsburgh, March s1.-Officials OF
the pennsylvania railroad and repre-
sentatives of the employees went into
executive session here at ten O'clock
TINS morning in beginning the initial
conference to consider reduction OF
wages OF all employees and officials.
Admission to the meeting which
the first of series to extend over ur,-
til April 16 was limited to the corr
ferees only and 1t was announced that
newspaper men would not be admitted
for the present"
Statement Issued.
1t has become impossible to operata
the pennsylvania road successfully and
continue to pay the abnormaliy high
wages fixed by the railroad labor
board, c. s. Krick, general manager
OF the eastern region. declared today
In opening a series of conferences be-
lweenr oi1icials OF the company and
representatives of its employees to dis
cuss proposed reductions in salaries
and wages.
Mr.. Krick maintained that the ems
tire world rapidly is getting back to
normal, and that since the middle OF
last year the cost of living has been
steadily going down.
20 Per Cent for Wages.
'.At present." he declared, NEARLY
20 cents out of every dollar the PENN
sylvania receives from operation ~
paid out in wages. The remaining 30
cents is not sufficient to buy fuel and
other obligations Operating ex-
penses in February exceeded operat-
ing revenue by more than $4,000, ,00o.
1t cost the Pennsylvania $1.05 to take
in 81 without considering taxes, fixed
charges and other obligations
without taking dividends into con-,
the Pennsylvania system
was operated in February at a loss of
more than $8,500.000. March results
will show no improvement, aitho the
number of employees is less now than
1t has been since 1915.
Such a precipitate falling off in
business as has occurred in the last
Few months cannot be recalled by
railroad men today and the only REM
edy for this situation Is TO reduce SAL
aries and wages