Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1921-05-19

Inc. for 1920 over 1919 81 ,495, 1854, 21t
Mr.. Kruttschnitt, In showing how
little control the railroads had oyel
necessary expenditures, said:
"Sixty-four cents out of every dol
1920, paid out to labor, and the wages
of labor are fixed by the government
Fifteen cents out Of every dollar
Of operating expenses was paid fol
materials and supplies at prices fixed
by the government.
"Three and one-half cents out OF
every dollar was paid for other ex
penses incurred by the government IL
the first two months of 1920
"A total, therefore, of 821a cents out
of every dollar Of operating expenses
for 1920 was paid out at prices direct
Iy fixed by the government.
1.-THE remainder, up to 97H cents
was for materials and supplies, pur
chased at prices fixed by general mar
ket conditions and beyond the power
Of the railroads to CONTROL"
To illustrate how labor costs were
inflated by the National Agreements
entered into during federal control
fixing rules and working conditions
the following examples were cited
/. The Pere Marquette Railway was
compelled to pay 1884 In back pay
to four employees because their titles
under these agreements were changed
by q decision OF the Director General,
while the nature Of their duties and
the same.
2. car repairer on the virginian
Railway was paid $1,000 for work he
employees becauss there W was no work
for him to do. When he became en-
titled under his seniority rights" to
be re-emDloyed. he received back pay
9. The Shop Crafts Agreement pro-
vides that when employees are re-
Quired to check in and out on their
hour Extra a tbs Close q each hor we ons
have worked. This rule in the first
six months Of 1920 cost the railways
$500. 900. or at rate of 313, 900, 600 a
year.
4 On the Chesapeake g. Ohio Rail.
road ptecework car repairers decreas-
ers ss.4 per cent in efficienoy under a
guarantee OF fixed minimum rate
per hour.
S. On the abolition Of piece work
on the Union Pacific Railroad in the
wheel shop At Omaha. Nebr., the time
required for the same work was in
creased 31.s per cent and the output
was cut down "a per cent; and in
coach-cleaning yard at Denver the
time required was increased 1873 per
cent and the output decreased 20 per
cent.
6, Southern Pacific employees,
whose sole duty was to keep watch
on stationary engines and to stop the
engine in case anything went wrong,
were reclassified by Director General
as electrical workers." one man on
the Salt Lake division being given
back pay of 1881, another S2,094.
another $1,000. another 50, 003 and six
others amounts varying from $500
to $1,000.
Z. Under the present classification
rules of the shop crafts, in order to
change a nozzle tip in the front end
of locomotive 1t is necessary to call
a boiler maker and his helper to open
the door, because that is boiler maxi
ers' work; to call pipeman and his
helper to remove the blower pipe
because that is pipemen's work; and
call machinist and his helper to re-
move the tip, because that is ma
chinists' work; also for the same force
to be employed for putting in the new
tip.
Questioned by Senator Poindexter
Mr.. Kruttschnitt stated that these in
stances might be increased indefinite
~ and were characteristic on railroads
Of the country, as result of the
Agreements left over from federal
control.