Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-02-01
RAIL LINES FACE.
INSOLVENCY, LABOR
CHAIRMAN CLAIMS
w. w. ATTERBURY GOES BEFORE
U. S. BOARD WITH STATEMENT
THAT ROADS MUST BE PERMIT.
TED TO CUT WAGES OF ALL
CLASSES OF EMPLOYEES.

Chicago, Feb. 1.--lmmcdiatc abrO-
cation OF the national agreements be.
tween railroads and employees was
proposed to the railroad labor board
today by W. w. Atterbury, chairman
of the labor committee OF the as5o.
citation Of railway executives ana vice
president of the Pennsylvania rail-
road.
The solvency of the railroads OF
the country must be assured by a rec
duGtion in operating expenses, After
bury declared, Unless prompt action
affords relief to the roads, he said,
many Of the lines Of the country may
be forced into insolvency.
THE labor board can prevent this
catastrophe" Atterbury said, by de-.
claring that the national agreements,
rules and working conditions coming
over from the war period are termin-
ated at once; that the question OF
reasonable ana economical rules and
working conditions shall be remand
ed to negotiations between each car.
rier and its own employees; and that
as the basis for such negotiations, the
agreements, rules aud working con.
ditons in effect on each railroad as
of Dec. 81, 1917, shall be re.cstablish-
ed"
Touching on the question Of wage
reductions in connection with the re-
questcd action by the board, Alter
bury said
III the board will do this, the la,
Dor committee OF the association OF
railway executives will urge upon cy-
cry railroad company a party to De
cison No. ?, that no proposal for the
reduction Of basic wages shah be
made within the next succeeding
ninety days. This will afford an OPP
portunity to gauge the economies
which can be accomplished through
more efficient rules and working con
ditions. 1t will also afford additional
time in which to realize the benefit
of a further decline in the cost OF
living
THE national agreements, rules
and working conditions forced on the
railroads as war measures cause
gross waste and ineiIiciency' the
statement says. Il estimate that the
elimination of this waste would re
duCe railway operating expenses at
least $500 100000 per annum 1t
would be far better to save this sum
by restoring conditions of efficient
and economical operation than to re-
duCe wages.
I'VE believe that as the wages Of
railroad employees we're the last to
go up they should be the last to come
down, but we do insist that for an
ample wage an honest days work
shall be given.
The public has a right to insist
that this must be obtained. The pub
lis has also the right to expect that
the railway executives with the coop
GRAFTON of the regulatory bodies and
the employees will, as rapidly as pos.
sible reduce the cost Of railway Qper-
alton so as to eventually secure re-
duction III rates. Ultimately a read
justment of basic wages Will be re.
quired. Meantime it is to the inter
ests Of all concerned, including la
Dor, that the rules and working con
ditions shall be made conducive to
the highest efficiency in output per
man.
THE railroad committee presenting
evidence for the abrOgatiOn Of the ma.
tional agreements have far from cX.
hauSted their evidence on this sub
jeCt But it will be dangerous to CON
tinue the consideration OF these agree.
ments rule by rule. II the board fol-
lows its present procedure, months
will elapse before it can render its
decision,
The urgent financial necessities of
the railroads will not permit them to
wait any such length OF time for re-
lief. Long before the present detail
ed hearings are concluded the board
will be flooded by appeals from in,
diyidual railroads from all parts OF
the country for reductions IN basi,
wages. 1t viii be impossible for the
board TO hear and dispose of thcs,
separate cases upon their merits il
time to avoid numerous receivcrshjp.
and the possibility of nationa
panic. Losses of railways net Oper
Hting income are irreparablo. Yol
can not make retroactive tomorrow
The savings that should have beer
made today.
Your board can not possibly write
the rules and working conditions o
every railroad III this country an,
adjust them equitabiy to varying gee
graphical, operating and social cond
tins
1T rests entirely whit your boar
TO determine within the next few
days whether this whole situauo