The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1921-06-01

the fallfoaoS Wnlch tlied disputes
prior to April lS and which appeared
in the hearing beginning on that date.
The increase last year affected all
so-called Class / roads, including
NEARLY 200 of the larger rail systems
of the country.
A new hearing will be begun June
l6 to include all disputes filed with
the board between April IS and June
6 and speedy decision is anticipated
in the new case, members of the board
stating that today's decision would
set precedent for subsequent decis-
ions.
Under the Transportation Act, z
factors are prescribed for considera-
tion in determining "just and rea-
sonable wages" of railway employees.
The boards wage increase decision
| declared all these factors had been
given consideration and that the rates
established were considered just and
reasonable. The decision at that time
said:
"The Board has endeavored to fix
such wages as will provide decent
living and secure for the children of
the wage earners opportunity for ed
ucation, and yet to remember that no
class of Americans should receive pre-
ferred treatment and that the great
mass of the people must ultimately
pay great part of the increased cost
of operation entailed by the increase
| in wages. 1t is hoped that the present
decision which adds substantial
amounts to present wages will be
felt to be just and equitable under all
circumstances and railroad employees
will accordingly render the best SER
vice of which they are capable. #
they will do this, it is believed the
American people will receive. benefits
far outweighing the cost of the in
creases."
Basing their argument upon the
boards declaration that wages as es-
Itablished by this decision were just
and reasonable in July, 1920, the rail
roads presented volume of testi-
mony to show that living costs had
declined and that wages in outside
Industries had dropped. The railroad
representatives declared wages should
be cut in proportion.
The employees, while giving figures
combating the railroads argument of
lower wages and cost of living, made
their main plea on the principle OF
the living wage. The labor men de-
clared railway workers were under
paid and attempted to set up so-called
Giving wage" budgets to substanti-
ate their fight against any reductions
| Fifteen labor organizations, includ-
ing the Big Four brotherhoods, to-
pether with the affiliated members Of
the Railroad Employees Department,
American Federation of Labor, rep
resented the employees involved in the
present case. All of the roads asked
reduction of the common labor wage
scale and numerous carriers asked re-
ductions in several other classes,
few of the roads filing petitions for
reductions of wages of every employe.
The following are the 1O4 roads:
st. Louis-San Francisco; Chicago
Great Western; Denver & Salt Lake;
Boston & Albany; Boston Terminal;
Pittsburgh & Lake Erie; Lake Erie
& Eastern; Delaware, Lackawanna
& Western; Lehigh Valley; Rutland;
Gulf Coast Lines, Houston Belt and
Terminal; Buffalo, Rochester and
Pittsburgh; Toledo and Ohio Central;
GAINESVILLE and Western; Kanawha q
Michigan; Kanawha & West Virgin
/ ia. Staten Island Rapid Transit; At
Gibson. Topeka and Santa Fe; Guif'
Colorado and Santa Fe; Beaumont,
Wharf and Terminal; Ann Arbor;
New York, New Haven and Hartford;
Central New England; Erie and sub
sidiaries; Central Union Depot and
Railway of Cincinnati; Lehigh and
New England; Chicago and Nortn
western; Indiana Harbor Belt; New
York Central; Maine Central; Port
land Terminal; Cleveland, Cincinnati
Chicago and st. Louis and subs'diar-
les: Chicago, Peoria & st. Louls'
Southern Pacific Co.; Southern Pa-
cific Lines in Texas and LOUISIANA;
Grand Trunk, west; Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy; Illinois Central ana
subsidiaries; Chicago, Rock Island q
Pacific; Chicago, Rock Island q Gun;
, Central Railroad of New Jersey; On
cinnati, indianapolis 6 Western; Bos-
Ton e. Maine; New York, Ontario q
western: Chicago, Indianapolis q
, Iouisville; Texas Midland; Detroit
!, Terminal; Monongahela; Great North
arn. Buffalo G. Susquehanna; Phlia-
, d.Inhia & Reading and subsidiaries
~I.rt.,k q Western: Northern PacH-