Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-09-14

TOuuS VI lilt WlIOlS Guilty, ihNiSoSSN
expenses in 1920 over 1919 were as
follows:
Actual expenses for 1920. So, 1863, 1884
Actual expenses for 1919. 4,667,774,131
Inc. for 1920 over 1919. s1,4s5,s S4,21o
Mr.. Kruttschnitt, in showing how
little control the railroads had over
necessary expenditures, said:
aSixty-four cents out of every dol
lar G.? operatiag expenses were, in
1920, raid out to labor, and the wages
81 laboraf fixed by the government.
"Fifteen cents out of every dollar
Of operating expenses was paid for
materials and supplies at prices fixed
by the government.
"Three and one-half cents out of
every dollar was paid for other ex-
penses incurred by the governr: t in
the first two months of 1920.
"a total, therefore, of S2k cents cut
of every dollar of operating expenses
for 1920 was paid out at prices direct
ly fixed by the government.
"The remainder, up to 97R cents,
was for materials and supplies, pur-
chased at prices fixed by general mar
ket conditions and beyond the power
of the railroads to control"
To illustrate how labor costs were
inflated by the "N;tional Agreements
entered into during federal control,
fixing rules and working conditions,
the following examples were cited:
co IN ghs p to p ayfS USES IN Ka' bScs p pay
TO four employees because their titles
under these agreements were changed
by a decision of the Director General;
while the nature of their duties and
the volume OF their work remained
the same.
3. i car ~repairer on the Virginian
Railway was paid 81, 900 for work he
never did. He was laid off with other
for him TO do. When he became en-
titled under his Seniority rights to
be rc-cmploycd, he received back pay
and overtime.
vides that when employees are re-
quired to check in and out on their
own time they will be paid for one
hour extra at the close of each week,
no matter how few hours they may
have worked. This rule in the first
six months of 1920 cost the railways
Sc, 500, 900, or at rate of S13, 900, 900 a
year.
4. On the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail-
road piecework car repairers decrcas-
ed Ala per cent and airbrake repair
ers 1874 per cent in efficiency under a
guarantee of a fixed minimum rate
per hour.
on the Union Pacific Railroad in the
wheel shop Ut Omaha, Nebr., the time
required for the same work was in
creased 31.9 per cent and the output
was cut down "a per cent: and in a
coach-cleaning yard at Denver the
time required was increased 3S.S per
cent and the output decreased % Fer
cent.
6. Southern Pacific employer,
whose sole duty was to Keep watch
on stationary engines ana to stop the
engine in case anything went wrong,
were reclassiied by Director General
as electrical workers" one man on
the Salt Lake division being given
another So, 900. another $1,000, and six
others amounts varying from $1,000
to 1900,
rules Of the shop crafts. in order to
of a locomotive it is necessary to call
a boiler maker and his helper to open
the door, because that Is boiler MAX
ers' work; to call a pipeman and his
helper to remove the blower pipe,
because that is pipemen's work: and
call a machinist and his helper to re-
move the tip. because that is ma
chinists'. work; also for the same force
to be employed for putting in the new
tip.
Questioned by Senator P%oindexter
Mr.. Kruttschnitt stated that these in
stances might be increased indefinite
ly and were characteristic on railroadi
of The country, as a result of the
Agreements" left owe from federal
control.