The New York herald., 1921-03-10
SWEEPING WAGE
|. SDECREED ON
EVERY RAILROAD
Concerted Action Within
Ten Days Agreed On 10
Bring Labor Cost
to Minimum.
HEAVY TRAFFIC SLUMP
100000 Idle and Freight
Cars With Little Prospect
of Movement Leads to
Determined Action.
EXECUTIVES DENOTED
Na.., Ca,.J. (fo, .uoI - TE;~1 nff
EXECUTIVES DENOTED
New York Central to Wipe Off
100000 Month-Jersey
Central Men Make I'm
paralleled Offer.

Within the next ten days virtually
every railroad in the United States
will be engaged in concerted action to
bring about straight cut in all labor
costs. The Pennsylvania Railroad took
the initiative yesterday by announc-
ing that every officer and employee.
from the president OF the system down
nearly 2l5o00 all told-was about to
suffer a reduction in pay.
The New York Central Railroad hav-
ing given notice Of wage reduction TO
its unskilled but organized labor is
about to announce that II will follow
the lead OF the Pennsylvania Railroad
and even so that corporation one better
The New York Central plans to lop
about 100000 or its monthly payrolls
by the cxpedient OF demoting execu-
tives inside and outside the general Of
fees and reducing clerical and other
Office STATS TO what IL hopes will be an
irreducible minimum.
The railroads declare the action i'm
perative. They declare themselves ex-
periencing the greatest slump in traf-
fic that has occurred within tho last
ten years. They point TO 100000 empty
freight cars standing idly in silent
yards and say they sec no probability
| Of wheels turning until conditions
change.
Practically every railroad in ths
country is planning to follow the Penn
! sylvanias and the New York Central'S
example. Already several Of the prin-
cipai roads have held conferences with
the representatives OF their so-calied
unskiIled workers. Within a fortnight
the rest will have done likewise. Or
ganized and unorganized employees
and all executives viii be required 70
participate in the wage revision.
Showdown with Unions.
Briefly it VIII precipitate a showdown
within Tire next thirty days at tho out
sidc between the railroad executives and
the union officials. exclusive OF the four
big brotherhoods, on the current prob
lem Of whether these unions should be
required 10 bear their share OF the rigors
% deHat!on The problem will not be
solved by Simultaneous action nor. for
| that matter, hy solution concertediy
greed upon. although railroad execu-
tives have conferred upon ways and
means 10 the unanimously desired end.
II Is altogether likely that the move viii
DC initiated along lines OF progression
| frst reducing the pay OF the unskillsd
and then treating for similar result with
the skilled workers. In a general way
| the approach will he made b. indicating
4 the fact that conditions chat brought
about the raise in wages authorized by
I the Railroad Labor Board on July 20
I 1890 no longer obtain--that conditions
have changed materially--and that ths
roads now ind il an irrpossibility 10 con-
,inue paying this scale.
l Then Il r. tho intention or the roads
to propose Topping OF every advance il
wages. Or whatever sort, that was grant
cd after July 20. 1920.
Conferences viii be called. The road.
propose taking every step and making
every logical concession necessary to IN
duce their employees to agree with them.
However. r such agreement Il impos-
sible the railroad heads purpose 10 put
the revised wage scale into effect and q
cit aside while the workers present their
side of the case to the Railroad Labor
Board. Just at present the plan pro-
y1des for calling each class or skilled
workmen into conference separa tely. For
example the shop crafts which include
the machinists, boiierInakers. carpenters.
pipcntters. plumbers. sheet iron workers.
painters. car repairers, blacksmlths arr
electricians, will be conferred with ~
enc date. The enginemon will have their
innings another day. and in turn the
switchmen and others viii be consulted.
II is planned that this wage reduction
viii become operative at some time be-
tween April 10 and April 20
Effect of the Proposals.
IN the meantime tho conferences nov
beng held with the unsiSilicd WORKERS
here In the eastern territories wlll cor
tinue. and according to officials of y--
tualiy an tho roads tho revised wage
scales viii 20 into effect April 1 7s
scheduled. In effect tire plan amounts
20 thls
Throw the whole wage problem back
into the melting pot and put The
mess squsrely UP to the Railroad Labvr
Board. Naturally volumes or statistics
and argument will Be offered the bosfo.
the roads insisting thai thcy cannot cor
t!nuc on tho financial hasls they now
rest on.
The New York Central Railroad proh.
ably will announce its own plan to-da,.
Up in Grand Central Terminal the intra-
oeice correspondence characterizes ths
necessity Tor tho sweeping reductions ~
force and wages as a move necessary to
Establish closer relationship between
expense and revenues
That. il must be understood. will he
quite independent or tho new wage sec