The evening world., 1921-02-03
RAILROADS lay OFF 100000;
EFFORT TO COERCE us. BOARD.
LABOR LEADERS DECLARE
Thirty-Six Roads Fail to Earn
Operating Expenses in
January.
PLAN TO CUT WAGES.
Plight Due to Careless and
Inefficient Management"
Is Labor's Rejoinder.

CHICAGO, Feb. 3.-Two hundred
thousand railroad employees havo
boon laid Off by sixty-four railroads
oe the country since sept. 1. Thirty
ax railroads failed to earn operat-
ing expenses in January. Twenty
eight railroads did not earn their
taxes and fixed charges.
These statements were made to-
day by w. w. Atterbury, Chairman
OF the Labor Board OF the Railroad
Executive Association in a public
statement supporting demands Of the
railroads for a reduction in wages.
The thirty-six roads which did not
earn their operating expenses during
January, Atterbury said, included:
The Atlanta, Birmingham and At
lantic, Buffalo and Susquehanna,
Central OF Georgia, Detroit, Toledo
and Ironton, Hooking Valley, Long
Island, minneapolis. st. Paul and
sauit ste Marie, Maine Central, New
York, New Haven and Hartford,
Northern Pacific and Philadelphia
and Reading
Twenty-eight railroads which did
not earn their taxes and charges in
January included: Atlantic Coast
Baltimore & Ohio, Boston g. Maine,
Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville,
Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul, Chi
cago, Rock Island & Pacific, Lehigh
Valley, Minneapolis & st. Louis, Mis-
souri, Pacific, Norfolk Southern,
pennsylvania, Pere Marquette, West
en Maryland & wheeling and Lake
IGFde.
Railroads OF the country in their
EFFORTS to drive down wages, are try
ing to coerce the Federal Railroad
Labor Board 10 disregard the Esch-
CImmins law, union leaders charged
to-day.
II. F. CRADLE, head of the Union OF
UnskIIled Maintenance of Way
Laborers and Shop Laborers, an
swered the petition iled by the rail-
roads last week, asking abrogation
OF the national agreements and re-
duction of wages OF unskilled
workers
Mr.. Cradle charged that the rail-
roads are attempting TO ''trample
under foot and disregard the rights
of lalborers who have submitted their
interests 10 the board" He said that
II the railroads faced a financial cri-
sis as claimed, Il was due to the
careless and inefficient manage
ment," the maintenance OF large
unnecessary and expensive official
staffs," and contracting at "fabu-
lous figures for cost plus work"
The question before the board, Mr..
Cradle said. was whether the rela-
tionship OF the employer and employee
shall be settled by just and legal meth
DDS or by economic force"
The union leaders attacked the de-
mand OF the railroads for immediate
action by the board, demanding that
the question be given a fair hearing
The hearing by the board to-day wa
20 determine whether or not "emer,
gency action" should be taken.
Mr.. Cradle cited figures IN efforts I,
substantiate his claims that the mer
were not overpaid. He said 2S6, SOt
maintenance Of way employees re
ceived an average annual wage in 1871
OF ts3s, while 65,OO0 others received
an average OF only S6gS.SS.
DETROIT. Feb. SIS. J. Pegg, In
ternational Grand Secretary Treas
urer Of the United Brotherhood o
Maintenance Of Way Employees anC
Railway Shop Lmborers, predicted 70
day that $4,000 members OF the uuioI
viii walk out II the national wag
agreement Is broken by railway eN
ecutves and wages cut.
ThOusa nds Of Brotherhood mem
bers, embittered over present wag
conditions, are threatening even nov
10 leave their work, he declared. Tn
men viii not work for less money
whether union officials want them I
or not, he added,
NO ST0WAWAY THIS TRIP.