Albuquerque morning journal., 1921-04-20
FOR
RAIL WAGE
CUT ARR:
PRESSED
Several Roads Predict Re-
CeiVerShipS and Bank
ruptCy Unless Present
Conditions Are Remedied
COST OF LIVING HAS
DECREASED, Is CLAIM
CoIored Women in the
South, Washing Win
doWs for Railways, Make
More Than Postal Clerks

my Auo nnSOtAHtcu AtpHp'b
Chicago, April 10. - The
railroad labor board waded
through another avalanche
of figures today as more
than a score of roads pre-
sented data in their pleas
for wage revisions. Reduced
cost of living and wage de-
creases in other industries
have made present railroad
wages unjustifiable, the car
riers contended, and several
roads made gloomy predic-
tons of receiverships and
bankruptcy if the situation
were not remedied.
Colored women, washing win
dows for railway companies, get
$40 a month in the south while
postal employees get but $116 tc
$125, one witness declared, and
numerous others cited statistics to
show lower wages in other indus
tries than those on railroads.
The general trend of exhibits
showed decreases In cost of food
Iclothing and shoes and nearly
parallel recessions in outside
wages. Most of the roads asked
reductlonA which compared IA
vorably with the decreases in the
cost of living. or asked that they
be allowed to hire labor at tht
prevailing market price in then
own territory.
Hourly Rates Compared.
The comparison of hourly rate'
a year ago and at present brought
forth a discussion between A. O
/ Wharton. labor member of tht
board, and J. H. Higgins, secretary
of the Association Of Western rail
ways.
Mr.. Wharton pointed out thai
the difference in hours between
! 1917 and the present time Nigh
reduce total earnings of laborer,
| to an equality, even though tht
hourly rate might be higher. Mr.
Higgins replied that he under
stood present rates as established
! by the board were considered JUS
and reasonable in July, 1920. anC
that on that basis he considered
a revision necessary.
Outside Wage Scales
L. w. Baldwin, vice president o
the Illinois Central, Yazoo & Mis-
sissippi Valley and the Chicago &
Gulf railroad. presented a repre-
sentation concerning outside wage
scales in different parts of th'
country. 1t follows in part:
Chicago-Industries, 13; mel
employed. 9,067; rate per houl
March. 1920. $3.50; April, 1921
4S.4c.
On northern lines-Industrie
SIS; men employed, $3.50; rate pc
hour March, 1920, 45.23c; April
! 1921, 44.02.
Zone covering Council Bluff
Iowa, Sioux City. Sioux Falls anc
! Omaha-Industries IA; men EN-
I ployed. 1868; rate per hour
March. 1920, 49,4c; April, 1921
43.4c.
East to Galena. ILL.,, and Du
buque, Ia.-Industries. l6; mer
employed, 1902; rate per hou
March, 1920, 51.60; April, 1920
41c.
The prevailing rates of pay fol
similar common labor on the Hi
rois Central was set forth as al
to 4S1s cents an hour.
Other general exhibits showed
decreases of 36.4 to 40 per cent II
food; 2s to 36& per cent in cloth
ing, and 25 to 33 Ia per cent il
shoes.
Losing $1,000 a Day.
Fitzgerald Hall for the Nash
vNle, Chattanooga & st. Louis salt
his road was losing $4,000 a da!
and that their proposed reduced
scale would still be 100 per cen
higher than that of March. 1920.
I The rail representatives still
\ have three days in which to com
plete their cases. The board viii
then recess for a week to ALLOW
the employees time to prepare thei
cases.