Arizona republican., 1921-05-08
Mass of Evidence Will De- lay Decision on Wage Reductions for at Least Thirty Days
I7epuhIiean A. p. Leased wtre1

SHlCAGO. May 7.-Railroad rep resentatives made their final drive Tor wage slash on behalf of nearly .ov carriers before the railroad labor board today Devoting most of their argument to denials of the charge of waste and mismanagement made by the employees, counsel for the roads nnaily cast the charges aside as ir- relevant and stood on their original contention that wages in outside in- ocstries and the cost of living had declined.
 The board was told it should con- sader only the factors laid down in the transportation act in fixing just and reasonable wages by F. w. Sar- gent solicitor of the Chicago and Northwestern w. J. Lauck, the unions economist had asked the board to abandon those factors, he said.
 If the board should set up a stand ard of a so-called living wage for five, urged by MT. Lauck, the board should also fix a different standard for diff ferent sizes of families and for indi vsdualS." he said. "The very state ment of the proposition illustrates how impracticable it is to apply the theory.
 T maintain that if the former wage award was just at the time it be- came effective. May l, 1920, it follows that a reduction of compensation must be granted in view of the over whelming evidence regarding changed conditicns.v
 TO adopt the theory of the living wage as a basis for determining rail- road wages would be to accept an untried theory of state socialism or to countenance creation of a super privileged class according to John G. Walber. summing up the testimony of the carriers MT. Walber, who Represented the eastern roads, com pleted the roads rebuttaI..
 The living wage. according to the railroads investigations, he said, was not an amount necessary to maintain an employe and his family but represents a standard on which certain persons would like to live" The theory of the living wage is not new he continued. We do not intend to ignore it. but we believe the American people should know its real purpose and the ultimate effect of such a socialistic theory as that laid down by the railroad employees We have no quarrel with the ambi- tions or desires of any American citi- gen to better himself. However, es- @tablishment of an artificial minimum wage would be as fatal as attempt ing to sfifle initiative and incentive,
 
 failure
 He declared that railroad exhibits proved that, contrary to the em- ployes' contentious, railroad wages had increased in greater proportion than the cost of living.
 No intimation was given as to when a decision would be handed down. but it was said that the board would require at least a month to digest the evidence.
 The statements presented to ths board by W. Jett Lauck, eeonomis for the railway mems unions, charg ing that large amounts of money ar' being wasted in the financial and op erating management of the railroad have no relationship 10 the wage question now before the board, it wa contended in a statement filed befor the board today on behalf of the west ern railroads. It was signed b, Charles H. Markham. president. Hi uois Central railroad, Hale Holder president of the Chicago, Burlingto S Quincy railroad; H. E. Byran president of the Chicago, Milwauke & St Paul: w. H. Finiey, residen of the Chicago & Northwestern; J. German president, Chicago, Rock Is land & Pacific. and S. M. Feltor president, Chicago & Great Westeri
 .~The sols purpose of these state urents is to divert public attentlo from matters actually pending befor d. the board They are bold propagand intenden to discredit private manage ment and promote the Plumb pial said the statement
 we respectfully protest agah' .ba hoard continuing to allow heal snrs before it to be made means spreading this propaganda.
 It is charged that in various wa! .he capitalization of the railways hs been made excessive and that m tn ,na ,1,,blic We deny that the cap salization of the railways as who ss excessive. Even if it were thi would have no effect upon passeng and freight rates since the lntersta commerce commission speclllcdi
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