Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-22
LEE GIVES HIS
VIEW IN REGARD TO
PROPOSED STRIKE

PROPOSED STRIKE |
Cleveland, Oct. 22.-{By the, Asso-
ciated Press. )-Causes Tor the strike
general at s a. m. October 50 are
enumerated by w. q. Lee, president
Of the Brotherhood OF Railway Train
men, in a statement to the Associated |
Press today.
The statement was issued, Mr.. Lee
because '.the public is
rather confused as to Its causes,
believing It y for higher wages.
THREE REASONS,
I. Threc CAUSES were asczdbed BY
The wage reduction OF
Proposed further reduction.
S-PropOscd elimination OF
rules which would mean stu
further reductions.
Go Ahead With Plans.
. The three local brotherhood chiefs,
MI. Lee OF the Trainmen; Warren S.
Stone Of the Brotherhood Of Loco
motive Engineers, and ". S. Carter
Engtnemen, while preparing to obey
the citation to appear before the rail-
road labor board in Chicago next
Wednesday, were also going ahead
with plans to carry out the strike.
L. E:s Sheppard, president Of the
Order OF Railroad Conductors, ar
rived. last night.
Statement as to the causes of thu
strike follows:
\ Public Confused.
THE public II rather confused as to
the causes for the railway strike.
There is q belief on the part Of some
that the strike is for higher wages,
and Is not understood to be a demon
stration against a wage reduction to
which has been added propositions
furthereto d u wages and eliminate
rules which would mean still further
reductions.
Railroad transportation, employees
even when peak wages were paid, did
not receive advanced wages in keep
ing with the increased living costs.
The daily rate paid transportation
men wassfixed for all classes in the
United: States in 1913, and regardless
OF the increased costs Of living, there
were no increased wages for these
employees until January /, 1918, and
only then after a most searching in
vestigation had been made by the
Lane commission to determine what
should be the reasonableness of wages
paid transportation employees. This
commission reported that wages were
inadequate and, contrary to public
opinion, did not measure up with
wages paid In other classes Of service.
1.-THE rate of a freight brakeman
between Chicago and New York was
$2.67 a day, which was referred to
by the railways in their publicity
campaigns as a princely wage, and
the public naturally supposins that a
! hy, al ~ nc ~An~oc4,t;~ ~ ~. -.,,~l =
railway business would tell the truth,
accepted the railway statement with
out question. It Ices not take long
to determine how much could be
earned in a month of 80 days at a
rate of $2.67 per day. Until January
1, 1918, 5000 was the princely wage
some fifty odd thousand railroad men
received. in what is known as the
eastern territory. Other wages were
in proportion to the wages If the
freight brakemen.
With the reduction in wages OF
July !. 1921, the present wage of this
employe is $134.40 for 80 days in the
month, and he is fortunate indeed If
he is able to make every day in the
month.
Paid BY the Day. r.
"The hazards of the service, ex-
posure to the weather and very MAN.
other reasons all contribute their
share toward making him an inter
mittent, az we'll as a piece worker
Transportation employees are not paid
by the m onths but by the day, or trip
II business requires, they work. II
not, they lose time. There are COM
paratively few men now, making full
time. There are thousands Of these
men out of work, many of whom
have as high as fifteen years service
because there Is no need for them
while thousands Of others a to try
to live on a few days a month, which
is all the railway service requires from
them. Let it be understood that nc
transportation wages are paid unless
the time is made, 1t is true that the
railway companies show wages earned
in much higher amounts than those
quoted, but they do not tell that the
higher monthly amount represents
full time and overtime. It is fair tt
assume that everyone who is forced
to work extra time expects to be
paid for it.
"The railroad companies have no.
been fair in the propaganda agains
the employees, and it is to be hoped
that before the trouble is over. thai
pre1udiced opinion based on railwa,
publicity, misstatements will under
stand the exact wage that may b<
earned through the normal day.
uynrk