The New York herald., 1921-05-19
EMPLOYMENT RISES
ON RAILROAD RULING
Lines Ready to Put OH More
Common LabOrers at Big
Pay Reduction.
ALTON IS FIRST TO ACT
Officials Assert They Can
Get Maintenance of Way
Men at 35 Cents Hour.
HAVE BEEN HOLDING OFF
Announcement Of Board Acts
as an Immediate Stabilizer
Throughout Country.

Special Despatch to THE New YORK HERALD
CHICAGO, May 18.-Railroads will re-
turn speedily to their normal quota OF
common labor following the decision
of the United States Railroad Labor
Board that there shall be a reduction
of wages in effect on July !.
The roads have been holding off fit
ting out their usual quota of mainte-
nance of way men whose busy season
is during the summer months, in the
hope that a reduction would be granted
The Chicago and Alton is the first to
swing into line. The Alton to-day In
creased its maintenance Of way forces
from SO to rs per cent. reemploying
several thousand section hands. These
men were laid off last fall.
The Alton shops at Bloomington re-
opened to-day and the entire plant will
be in operation June l. affecting 1000
men
The announcement OF the board acted
as an immediate stabilizer. 1t had been
hoped a specific ruling covering common
labor might be issued in advance of the
general cut, but the roads do not now
expect this relief.
1T is very doubtful if the board de-
viates from the text of its resolution,
be issued July l." said G. w. w. Han
ager Of the Board to-day
The greatest saving to the roads will
be in reduction in the wages Of COM
mon labor This class received much
greater increase in proportion to others
in last years wage award. The prevail
ing rate now is 48Ea cents an hour. The
roads insist they can get men at 80
cents.
",There is not the slightest authority
for declaring any total sum to be cut or
any percentage" the board declared to-
day. I'VE do not know what it will be
and cannot tell until we study the evil
dence We have not estimated any sum
whatever as the proper amount to be
deducted from the scale"
That a nationwide walkout of shop
craftsmen will follow any big slash in
wages was made evident in letters re-
ceiyed by union leaders from Redfield,
n. D.. Columbus, Ohio; Purcell, Okla.
Winona. Mimi, and from other places
in Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan. All
these letters said the workers would
lay down their tools II the board cut
their wages. 1t was said by the men
who showed these letters that they We're
copies of similar letters sent to the
labor board.
1--WE are ready to fight until the last
dog is hanged" said an official Of the
maintenance of way men, IF we decide
to fight. But this much Is certain, the
labor board is going to cut our wages
and we will have to stand for some kind
OF cut. A aut of 10 per cent wouldn''
cause any trouble. a cut OF 10 per cent
will cause plenty of noise. but / think
would be accepted
but with living costs about the same
as last year In essentials. IL the labor
board takes away all Of last years In
crease about % per cent. then i predict
that serious trouble will start quick"
The chief significance OF the Railway
Labor Boards announcement that II
will authorize on June ! wage reduc-
,ions 10 become effective July ! is
that the board has admitted publicly
the necessity of downward revision
of pay scales of the country's 1,sOO,cOO
railway employees, according to execu
tives here.
Not until the board makes known the
actual percentages of reduction for the
various classes Of workers VIII IL be
possible adequately TO estimate the
amount of the actual saving which will
he effected. The fact that traffic for
the remainder of 1921 can only be
guessed at will add TO the difficulty of
calculation. Beyond pointing out that
the roads will lose much of the benefit
OF readjusted wages and working rules
II successful pressure is brought 10