Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-02-02
THE RAILROAD SITUATION.

II is apparent that the railroads OF the coun-
try are facing another crisis. Vice President
w. w. Atterbury Of the Pennsylvania lines,
who is chairman of the Association OF Rail-
way Executives. told the United States Rail-
way Labor Board. which is now conducting a
hearing in Chicago. that many of the railroads
of the country were in such financial straits
that unless relief came quickly they would be
facing bankruptcy. Mr.. Atterbury's plea was
that the national agreements between the rail-
roads and their employees be abrogated at once
and that the rules and working conditions in
force December 81, 1917 be re-established He
said that IL the national agreements were abro-
gated now the railroads would not seek a re-
duction of basic wages for at least three
months after the order became effective. The
intervening time, he declared, would be used to
test out the efficiency of economies which
might be instituted free from the limitations Of
the present agreements.
Judge r.. N. Barton, chairman of the federal
board, and Henry 7. Hunt, public representa-
tive on the federal board, suggested that the
roads and their employees confer. but Mr.. After
bury said the views of the two sides are so
radically opposed that no good could possibly
s0Hse from SUCH a conference. He said that
the situation was so urgent that the labor board
should act at once.
Mr.. Hunt remarked that he had been assured
by a representative Of the employees that the
railroad brotherhoods would be glad to go into
conference with railroad representatives" that
the men had no intention of demanding a con-
tinuation of the national agreemet in toto.
In spite of Mr.. Atterbury's insistance that
even a few days delay would bring on a food
of petitions for reduction of wages, the board
conducting the hearing assured the represen-
tatives OF the labor men present that no de-
cision would be reached until they had been
given an opportunity to be heard. In the mean
time the labor leaders have sent a telegram of
explanation and appeal to President Wilson.
That the railroads OF the country are hard
pressed for cash there is no doubt. 1t is a well
known fact that under government control the
railroads were losing millions of dollars month
ly. Because of war conditions this could be
tolerated as it was then a case of win the war
regardless of cost and the railroads played a
very important part in making victory pos
sible.
But now we are getting back to a peace
basis. Wartime conditions no longer prevail.
The railroads under private ownership cannot
long continue to lose millions of dollars weekly
and continue to operate. The employees must
realize this as well as the railroad officials.
That they do realize it is evident from the state
ment made by their spokesman in reply to Mr..
Atterbury that the men had no intention of
demanding a continuation in toto of the
national agreement made during wartime.
One of the abuses of the wartime agreement
IS paying for work that is not performed. Ralph
Peters, president OF the Long Island railroad
emphasized this feature in a recent statement
to the patrons of that road.
zone of the rules in the shop crafts agree
ment," he said, requires that when employees
are called upon to continue at work, or as ex'
pressed in the. rules, to return to work, they
shall be allowed five hours pay for three houri
and twenty minutes service or less. Under thi
rule cases freqiently arise whereby a man ma!