The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-17
TRANSLATION OF WAGE REDUCTION
 TO PREVENT STRIKE
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tContinued From Page One.) board for further wage cut of 10 per cent at the same time assuring the public that the shippers and the people should have the benefit of this wage reduction in tho form of re- duced freight rates.
 ITO this proposition the employees reply that no general reduction of freight rates followed the s40O, ,00O.- 900 wage reduction of July 1, that the cost of living has not been suf- ficiently lowered since July 1 to Justl- fy another wage reduction, and that they will strike without even await Ing decision of the labor board as 10 whether another wage reduction is just and reasonable.
 This Is the stage which the con troversy has now reached.
 There Is at least one feasible plan by which 1t can be settled and a strike averted. That plan is pre- dicted upon an excellent suggestion may by General Atterbury of the Pennsylvania railway in his speech before the convention of vehicle and
 
 last Friday"
 Ills suggestion is quoted as fol- lows:
 Nevertheless, it Is a. fact that the carriers, though they are not earn ing what they should earn to en- title them to be called prosperous. nor what the law intends they shall earn. can not rest under such pro- tectlon, while other business strug- gles for it's life. It would be a wise policy for the carriers publicly to avow that view, and voluntarily re- duce rates where they now work hardship, even though such rates may be reasonable in a transporta- tion sense and even though to reduce them means a loss of revenue to the carriers. The carriers can do this of their own volition, where it would be improper for the interstate com merte commission to do so. The re- suit would be a temporary check in tho rising fortunes of the carriers, ana that they can i'll afford, but it would be a step in the restoration of so und business conditions, and tho public should give to the carriers real appreciation of their act.
 Solution offered
 "If the railroads will immediately, in good faith adopt this suggestion of General Atterbury, the situation can be celared up, freight rates re- drced to shippers, the cost of living reduced to the consumers and stlm- ulating effect exerted on all busi- ness.
 "'we would suggest that. the wage cut of July 1 be translated at once into a reduction of freight rates. ttt and satisfactory to the public than to promise that future wage reduc- tions would be passed onto the peo- pie in the form of reduced freight rates. The public undoubtedly ex- pected this result when the July wage reduction was made, and it's ccnsummation now, though some what delayed, would'be highly grati- fying. That direct benefits would promptly follow, and that the psy- chologica1 effect would be instantly beneficial cannot be doubted
 Such reduction in the cost of liv- ing as might result from this and other causes would inure to the bene- fit of the railway employees and would constitute one of the statu- tory grounds for further reduction In wages. At the same time, 1t would have tendency to reduce the cost of material supplies to the car riers, and 1t would not then be neces- sary for the carriers to rely solely upon wage cuts for reduction Of their operating expenses
 Farmer Has Defiated
 "Deflation should be general and, as far as possible. uniform. Up to this time the farmer is the only man that has deflated, and he came to the x.Y{4I q thnd This hp- cause he did not possess the para chute of organization to break his fall.
 Another catastrophe of that sort should be avoided If possible Wages and freight rates should come to just and reasonable level uniformly or by alternating stages.
 "Of course, nothing in these obser- vations should be construed to indi- cate what the action of the labor board will be on any wage dispute Ithat may come before it. Such dis putes will continue to be adjusted by the board in accordance with the evil dence submitted and the require ments of the transportation act. When reductions are justifiable. they will be given.
 "It must be understood that there Is no intention to indicate, in any sense, the duty or the lnternational commerce commission in the prem ises.
 Transportation Act "In this connection 1t may be in- formative to the public to knowswhat factors the transportation act re- quires the labor board to consider in fixing wages. They are as follows: q. The scale of wages paid for similar kinds of work in other indus tries.
 "2 The relation between wages l and the cost of living. "3 The hazards of the employ ment.
 | A. The training and skill required. "5. The degree of responsibility. "6. The character of regularity of | employment
 "7 inequalities or increases of | wages or employment, the result of previous wage orders or. adjustments. "Other relevant circAhstances are also to be considered
 'It is obvious that the first two l factors above named are subject to f-Ar vi nh a q ytd ho d,,ri insy o