The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-04-16
RULES .
BURDEN COSTS
OF R. R. SERVICE
U. S. Railroad Labor Board
Asked to Stop Payments tor
Work Not Done.
WOULD SAVE s3O0y00 600
Lower Cost Of Service Can Be Secured
Only BY Cutting Expense,
Atterbury Says.

Urging emergency action by the
limited States Railroad Labor Boaro
to end gross waste and inefficiency
prevailing under present working rules
and conditions, General w. W. After
bury. vice president Of the Pennsyi-
yania railroad, in a statement TO the
board In session at Chicago said IN
part:
MANY railroads are not now earning
and with present operating costs ana
traffic have no prospect OF earning
even their bare operating expenses
leaving them without any net return
and unable to meet their fixed charges
The emergency presented can be met
either by an advance in freight ana
passenger rates. or by a reduction IN
operating expenses.
With declining prices and wages IN
industry and agriculture, the country
demands that the solvency OF the rail-
roads must be assured by a reduction
In operating expenses, ana NOT oy
further advance Of rates.
The National Agreements, rules ana
working conditions forced on the rail-
roads as war measures cause gross
waste and inefficiency.
Would Save ssoo, ooo,o 700
I estimate that the elimination OF
this waste would reduce railway OPP
Grating expenses at least $3OOOOo,oOV.
n would be far better to save this sum
nv restoring conditions Of efficient and
economical operation than to reduce
wages. =,
We believe that as the wages OF rail-
road employees were the last to 60 up
they should also be the last to come
down. but we do insist that for an am
nile wage an honest days work shall
he given. The public has the right to
insist that this must be obtained.
4 The public has also the right to ex'
meet that the railway executives, with
the cooperation OF the regulatory
bodies and the employees. will as rap
idly as possible reduce the cost OF rail-
way operation so as to insure eventual
" q reduction In rates. Ultimately
reimbursement Of basic wages will bt
reou,red Meantime 1t Is to the inter
ests of all concerned. including 'Chor
" that the rules and working conditions
shall be made conducive 10 the hi1hes
efficiency In output per man.
: Losses In Income Irreparabie
III When wages have been too low tn
&c harm done has been offset by retroac
five increases. Losses Of rallway>ne
operat!ng income are irreparahle. Io
cannot make retroactive tomorroY tn
u savings that should have been hn:i
IL today.
II The beard cannot possibly write tn
g. rules and working conditions OF ever
railroad In this country and ndiu:
IN them eoutahly to VARYING geograpl
!; ical. operating and social conditions.
a, 1t rests entirely with the board
'" determine whether this whole situ
ton shall drift into chaos and o
DERBY procedure become imnOssihle q
W cept ut the price OF railroad ban
OF rup4cy, finsnc'al shock and still Wild
n unemployment.
The Labor Board can prevent tn
catastrophe by declaring that the N
he tionai agreements, rules ard wcrkl'
hv conditions coming over from the WI
period are terminated at once; tn
the question Of reasonable and eC
VI nomical rules and working cond!tio
IN shall be remanded to negotiations I
tween each carrier and its own e.
ployees: and that as the basis for su
negotiations, the agreements. rul'
- and working conditions In effect
each railroad az of December, 81, 10
" sfall be re-established
If the board will do this, the Lat
Committee Of the Association Of RI
- way Executives will urge upon
cry railroad company party to
cision No. 2, that no proposal
the reduction Of basic wages shall
made within the next succeeding nj
~ ty days. This will afford an opp
tunity to gauge the economies VIII
can be accomplished through IN
efficient rules and working conditio
oe. II also will afford additional Il
In which to realize the benefits o
further decline In the cost Of Twin,
1 Relief Imperative and Equitable
The course which we are rec
mending is not only imperative
~ equitable.
The War Labor Board declared
the war period was an interregnum
he used neither by employer nor
Re ployee for the purpose Of better
or impairing the position Of either
To perpetuate as the normal r
and working conditions on the
roads, the extraordinary provision
the war period is a DISTINCT viola
Of all promises. The war has
been over more than two years.
time has come when, II the railv
MI" are to be efficiently and economic
~ operated, In accordance with the
visions Of the Transportation act,
NAL conditions Of employment an
Soc. working conditions must be rest