New-York tribune., 1921-02-01

accomplished through mora esiicsest
rules and working conditions.
1t also will atford additional tirns
IN which TO realize the benefits Of al
further decline In the cost 0f living.
The course which we ara recom-
mending lis not only imperative but
equitable. When President Wilson la.
sued his proclamation on Decamber 26,
1877, assuming government control Of
the railroads, he said.
"investors in railway securities may
res5 assured that their rights and IN
terests will be rs scrwpulcugly looked
after as they would be by the directors
|of the several railway systems
Pledges Broken. Hc Says
s'In his address to Congress ON jan
uary 4. 1913, President Wilson said:
The common administration will be
carried on with as little disturbance of
the present operating organizations and
personnel Of the railways as pessible.s
The War Labor Board declared that
the war period was an interregnum, to-
'be used neither by employers nar e1ff-
pioyse. for the purpose oil lettering or
impairing the position of either.
To perpetuate as the narInaI rules
and working conditions on the railroads
the extraordinary provisions Of the war
period is.a distinct violation Of a1f the
foregoing promises The war has now
been over more than two years. The
time has come when, If the railwaya
are to be efficiently and econoTnica1fy
operated, in sccordance with she pro-
visions of the transportation aet, nor
NAL conditions OF employment and Of
working conditions must be restored
and Increased efficiency Of labor be
secured.
"If your board adopts the foregoing
suggestion there is but ONE aspect Of
the wage question on which wa ask
Immediate action. The basic rates now
established by your board for unskflied
labor are from 80 TO dSts cents d hour.
Since your decision was made on July
90, 1920, ti&se rates haye fallen ma
terially throughout the United States.
For your board to require the railroads
to continue to pay wages far in ex-
cess of those paid by other Industries
is unfair to those industries and hears
with grave injustice upon the great
body of our farmers.
Asks Equal Labor Rates
within the nextsmonth or six weeks
practically all of the railways Of the
country must recruit their unskilled
labor forces.y It is desirable that u
ldISc paTI Oh The WGIk TGE WHICH THESE
men are necessary be concentrated IN
periods when the same labor is not
needed in harvesting the crops. We
therefore ask the immediate permis-
sion of your board TO pay for unskiIle
labor not less than the prevailing rate
of wages in the various territories
served by any carrier in. accordance
with Section 307, transportation act.
Il regret the urgency of the FORE
going presentation dts informalitv
does not Indicate any intention ON the
part Of the railway companies to vio-
late. TIE principle of orderly procedure
in such matters. But to sit by and
see this situation develop without
bringing it promptly and strongly TO
the attention of this board would be
to sacrifice the spirit of the transpor-
tation act.
In our judgment, unless the pro.
posed measures be promptly taken by
your board, situation will shortly de-
yelop in which ordesly procedure will
become entirely impossible. Your board
will be faced with the gravest rsspon-
sibilities, which it cannot possibly sue
cessfully perform in condition Of ma
stional confusion, If not os ehaos.''
q