New-York tribune., 1921-03-12
Wage Cuts Called Part of
Policy of Breaking Down
Labor Organizations on
the Individual Lines
More Decreases in
West Announced
Meetings With Employees
Called and Compliance
With Z. S. Law Promised

CHICAGO, March 1l.-Action
looking toward wholesale reductions
Of wages of railway employees of
the nation was assaied to-nigh- by
union leaders.
The railway executives were
unanimous in declaring that the re-
ductlons We're necessary to pave the
way for lower freight and passesl-
ger rates, and said that the wage
cuts would begin with the unskillel
employees, but would finally reach
the highest executives.
In replying to this, J. G. Luhrsen,
president of the American Train
Dispatchers' Association, asserted
that the train sheets would show
that the railroads were not economi-
cally managed, and in letter to
Senator A. B. Cummins, chairman
of the Senate Interstate Commerce
Committee, he called for Senate
rial investigation of the transporta-
ton situation $50 as TO avert serious
strife over wage reductions"
Notices of proposed wage reductions
on individual railroads have been ex-
pected since the meeting Of the rail
way executives here on February 49,"
said a statement issued by W. Jett-
lauck, former secretary of the War
T
omist of the railroad unions. "It is
part of the plan to deluge the Unitesi
States Labor Board with multitude Of
complaints and cannot be Of much
financial benefit to the railroads.
Labor Board Requires Much Time
cone complaint after another must
be considered by the Labor Board and
considerable period of time must
elapse before a, sufficient number of
DECISIONS even if favorable. can be Sc
cured by the railroads. The New YorL:
financial district has already recog-
nized this tendency. In spite of the
TACT of the proposed wage reductions
and the sanction by the government
| of advance payments of its guarantees
to the carriers, railroad securities haze
iCoSHSU dIOlIcI lOW lcNcl Oh tue SLOcE
Exchange.
This would not be so if the railroad
executives were ightforward ani
sincere in their labor policy and II
their plans were directed by the most
intelligent and far seeing of the heads
Of the roads. If financial relief an.
not the breaking down of labor organi.
zations were the object the railroads
IN certain area or district would no
tity their employees of proposed wage
cuts, invite them to select representa-
tives to meet the representatives Of the
carriers IN conference. and theE, if no
agreements could be reached. com
plant covering a large number of rail
roads and their employees could BE-
bought before the Labor Board
The reason concerted action for
wage reductions is not taken now is
tnat the Association of Railway Execu-
lives is dominated by a shortsightel
end misguided group who are more in
terested in breaking down labor organ
izations on individual roads than they
are in securing wage reductions. Thei,
zeal against labor unions leads them
unconsciously to neglect what the more
eeive to be the financial interests OF
the transportation industry"
Virtually all of the larger Western
railroads. to-day had swung into line
in the policy, started few days ago by
several Eastern railroads, of taking
steps to bring about reductions in the
wartime wage scale Of unskilled en-
ployees.
Roads Say Bankruptcy Impends
The reductions will be urged. rail-
road officials said, to keep the roads out
of bankruptcy and enable them eventu-
ally to reduce traffic rates, which now
were said to be higher than the public
can bear"
At the same time came statements
from officials of the Association oe
Railroad Executives that lower rates Of
pay for skilled workers probably would
be sought after the wages for unskilled
men had been settled.
One road. the Chicago Great West
ern, took the lead among the Western
hnes IN the matter of reductions by an
nouncing that it proposed 20 per cent
decrease IN the pay of every employee,
from the president down, with the ex
ceptlon of train service men. telegram
operators and unskilled men. The nav
OF unskil!ed workers would be brought
down to conform with the .ates paid in
other industries. If possible. con-
ferences will be held with the employe.
at oo Oelwein. Iowa, March 80. About
9,0UU men would be affected. It's pro-
posed policy was similar to that an
nounced few days ago by the Penn
| sylvania lines
In every case the roads specified that
they would seek lower wages in accord
ance with the provisions of the trans
portation act, which provide that con-
ferences must be held with the en-
ployees and the matter brought before
the Railroad Labor Board only when
an agreement could not be reached in
these conferences
More Roads Announce Reductions
The Chicago. Burlington & Quincy
and the Chicago g. Alton were two
roads to announce to-day that they
would seek wage reductions for un-
skilled employees. The Burlington
conferred with representatives of its
10000 unskilled employees yesterday
and a further conference will be hell
March % The Chicago Alton saiA
that it had set no date for confers
ence, but would call one soon. Its
officials felt that the national agree
a1,t