Evening journal., 1921-02-19
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1921
THE CASE OF THE RAILROADS.

IE farmers OF Delaware and the country at large have
A.. objection whatever 10 the payment Of liberal
10 railroad employees TO the establishment OF
rules necessary protect the lives Of railroad employees
and the travelling pubaic.
1tey viii be glad 10 see prosperity among niroad
workers and contentment everywhere
But farmers like all other patrons OF the railroads and
payers Of desire TO equitable adjustment
Of wage and working conditions that there shall he
no fsyontism under the sanction OF law.
. the channels of labor movement are free and open
and men in response TO the law Of supply and
demand, the farmer and other employer Will be glad
to take their cnance with the railroads.
But far railroad employment is concerned the
channels Of labor movement and the fixing Of wages
. not open
The government through its Interstate Commerce Com
mission fixes railroad rates and through other agencies
Axes the nate OF 20 be paid The employees rates
must be high enough 10 pay the cost OF operation to-
gcther with profit on the investment
= The producer OF materials and the consumer OF
.@ther raw or manufactured Materials Therefore nd-
F. rectiy pay the wages Of the Vlroad cmpioye
Every WHO buys goods that have been shipped by
rail- has an interest in the question Of wages paid on
railroads
te7est for s railroad be abnormaAy high they
exert an influence upon wages in other industries
fe railroad wage question not cannot be- an is
.ses between the roads and their employees alone
few facts very briefly stated VIII show various re-
.spccis in which the public Interested financially in
smaiiers OF railroad management
In 1917. while the roads were under priyaie manage
smen there 302 SOS workers employed in he shops
in 1920 there were i377i an Increase Of more than iG
per cent with no corresponding in e amount
% work done
The wages paid to the shop employees Increased during
nai time about is0 per cent There was an enormous in
crease in the number Of clerks employed In railroad Of
fees and increases the number OF lrnmen in propor
lion to NE amount OF train mileage
IN other words. government operation meant tremer
dousy enanced cost OF operation under agreements or
regulations which made IL Impossible for tho private
owners to return 10 normal when they again took control
There were increases in fregft and passenger rates
% = true with the intention that these Increases should
cover the increased OF operation but the indus
8 depression resulted in decreased freight movement
and decreased passenger ranc so that earnings were
cnt or, with corresponding opportunity To cut ex
penses.
Wages in other industries came down but the rail
wages We're nxsi by government regulation in such !
way that they could not be reduced
The public pays the bi-or must pay IL eyentuatv IN
one way another II the roads are not permitted N
bring their expenses within their incomes there Will be
diminished service detcgdoraied equipment and eventual
Bankruptcy
hankruptng the railroads would be more than an in
Justice to sockhoders-it would be an injury 10 ever,
person whose business depends upon efficient tansporia
ion service
The managers have been trying to reduce expenses $,
Ws' he incomes OF the roads will be adequate but m,
npe'y hAed and apparently unchangeabe wage scale,
rinder this effort.
+fhere has been tendency toward return 10 normal
az other lines OF enterprise and there should ne reinrr
,fp normal in railroading
This The producers and consumers who nav the trans
'Roriaiion bills have risft to expect