New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-20
Punching Clock
Costs Central
100000 Year
Forced Under Agreement 10
Allow Hour a Week for
Detail, Smith Says. Tell
ms of Ineffective Labor
Federal Rule Expensive
Wages Went Up, Number of
Workers Grew Without
Increase i'm Production
-. 20 rrihune,s vashinoto. sureau

s-cs. TAs TrslEss's Washington BUREAU
WASHTNGTGr.Av 1Jy is.-Continuing
=. testimony before the Srs&ste Inter
..a.s Commerce Committee in the rail-
...s inquiry to-day. A. Il. Smith, presi-
s.,t Of the New York Central Lines,
S,seussed the relationship of the In
ssrssasd cost of labor to the higher cost
"a nroyidiug transportation.
afass in the effectiveness of labor"
~ reason of the national agreements
"a increase in the bill of the rail-
.ssds for labor as a result of the re-
.isssiaeation of employees were given
10 Mr.. Smith as among the chief rea-
ssss for the greater operating ex~
rSnses of the roads.
Mr. Smith asserted that a single
;,sr,-aIIewsnce of one hour week
~ runchinc time elocks-cost the New
Work Central 100000 a year. He said
gbst BY reason OF reclassificstion there
vsre many instances where a number
~ employees were required to do the
work formerly done by one.
ua illustrated the situation by read
;rc figures regarding employment on
he New York Central. The number of
man employed monthly in the locomo-
tive repair department in 1919 was
1905; in 1920 it was 1855. In the
Ear department the average in 1919
ras L. A22; in 1926 it was 13,0SS. In
the locomotive repair department the
average pay increased from $1S4.47 a
month in 1919 to S166-52 IN 1920. In
The car department the pay rose from
slT.19 in 1919 to $l87.25 in 1920.
Cost Scars as Piece Work Stops
Mr.. Smith told how the cost of main
,enance OF equipment had been in
creased. He said that because of aboli-
ton of piece work and the operation Of
the national agreements it cost the
New York Central So, 800 more in
1920 and required so per cent more
men to do only per cent additional
work in the company's locomotive re-
pair shops as compared with 1915.
Under piecework and the other shop
conditions existing in 1915 2,799 men
turned out 73,072,00o shop miles" the
witness said. ain 1920 practically the
same mileage was turned out-namely,
1906, 000-but it required the serv-
ices Of 1881 men. The cost in 1915
was s2,so3, roo and in 1920 $3.50, 900,
an Increase of S., 448, 800. That is TO
ssy, there was an increase of men of
SOB per cent and an increase in money
Of 1877 per cent, while the mileage out
put was raised only 2 pen cent"
Referring to the increased cost Of
transportation as the result of orders,
rules and agreements of the Federal
control period, Mr.. Smith said:
Not only were wages of specified
classes Of employees raised, but many
employees were placed in higher grades
than those in which they were prior to
the orders and agreements" said Mr..
Smith. The Redistribution not only
had the effect of raising wages, but
very largely increased the number of
men,"
Wages Raised Automatically
Giving details of higher pay, Mr..
Smith said thas an air brake repairer
il December, 1917, was paid 81 cents an
hour. Under an order of the Director
General of Railroads the rate was ad-
gsaced to SO cents an hour, and under
the national agreem ents the classified
ton was changed to that of tender re-
pairer. Automatically the pay was
raised 70 68 cents an hour.
Beginning at So cents, blacksmiths
we're increased TO So cents, and ther
we're classified as hammersmiths anc
given 80 cents an hour.
Application of punitive overtime, OF
a time and a half basis, the witnes;
added, also added much to the costs Of
labor.
This effect Of the Adamson law
which became operative as of January
!, 1917" Mr.. Smith said, was to estab
lish in contracts for labor and rvice:
eight hours as the measure of a day!
work in place Of ten hours. The result
in money to the New York Central il
1917 was an increase of s4,045,o00 il
the pay of men concerned"
Mr. Smith told the committee tina.
men who dug holes for the telegraph
poles were classed as electricians. H.
said that man who had been engaged
IN sharpening crowbars and classed a;
a laborer was released as a black
smith at % cents an hour, with S1,71l
back pay.
Overtime payments on the New