Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-28
RAIL UNIONS BEGIN
FIGHT IN WAGE CASE
Labor Board Asked to Defer De-
cision Until Working Rules
Are Settled
LIVING COST DROP DENIED
by the Associated Press

Chicago. April 2S.-Railroad labor
today began its reply 10 the carriers
request for lower wages by asking the
ltniiroud Labor Bonrd not to decide
the wage question until rules and
working conditions ore settled.
The union leaders also presented
figures which. they said, proved that
tho roads could reduce opprating ex-
penses annually by S3.377 1855. 600. or
more than 90 per cent, without low
orlng the rates Of pay for employees.
road employees department OF the
American Federation of Labor. led the
labor attack. He contended that even
under the present rates of pay, Il
would take the employees three years 70
recoup their losses during the war pc.
riod and disputed the roads state
ments concerning reduction in cost
OF living since July. 1920. by saying
that the present rates we're based on
cost Of living in December, 1919.
He also announced n meeting Of gen
eral chairmen of the shop crafts here
Monday and Tuesday. at which the
rules the unions will advocate to replace
the national agreements will be drawn
up. He asked the board to adjourn to.
morrow until next Wednesday so as not
w iu'tilcit "ltn tnlS meeting.
Possible Savings Tabulated
Mr. Jewell, while announcing that he
did not accept the figures Of Brigadier
General W. W. Atterbury, of the Penn.
sylvania lines, concerning savings to be
effected by abrogation of the national
agreements on July /. included them in
his estimate of savings which he said
could be made by the roads annually
without reducing wages. He presented
the following table:
Fuel savings, IL prices continue to
decline. 81 ,OOO, 900 900,
Savings from abrosstion Of national
agreements as estimated BY General At
terbury. $500, 200, 900.
Inadequacies of railroad management,
81 ,228, 800 900.
Savings derived from additional capi-
tai Investments, $3.50 1853, 900.
Savings on apprentices. 500 900 900.
Savings on helpers. $50 200, 900.
Total, S3.377 .S55 900.
The railroads contend that their
annual operating expenses are $4,000
000. 900" said Mr.. Jewell, so it ia
possible to make n saving of more than
30 per cent. without lowering the pay of
a single worker. Under these crcum
stances 1t is not fair for the roads to
take their losses out Of the wages Of the
employees.
Mr.. Jewell outlined labors case by
announcing that thirty eight exhibits
could be prepared for the board, some of
which were filed last week.
Railroad Telegraphers Heard
+. J. Manion, president Of the Order
Of the Railroad Telegraphers, presented
a statement which named u number Of
roads az having lower rates of pay for
their tower and telegraph operators than
the average for all roads in the same
territory.
These included the Pere Marquette.
the Ann Arbor. the Chicago and Vest
ern Indiana, the Cincinnati. Indianap
oils and Western. the Long Island and
the Erie. Mr.. Manion said the per-
ccntage increase for tclegraphers on tho
Pennsylvania Railroad since 1910 in
reality was only 20 per cent. instead
Of 14a per cent. as claimed by the car
ricr. lie said the road. in reaching its
figures, maintained that decrease in
hours was an increase in compensation.
n point which the labor side did not
concede. lie said the roads he men
toned were among the lowest paid and
had been studiously picked for con.
certcd drive to lower wages.
A meeting Of general chnirmcn of
the railroad shop crafts will be he'd
here Monday and Tuesday to draw up
uniform set Of rules which the unions
will advocate in place of the national
agreements, ordered abrogatcd by the
railroad labor board. effective July |.
The rules will be presented TO tho rail-
roads by negotiating committees repre-
senting the crafts on each road. 4
committee of 100 shop craft men now
is working on these rules.