New-York tribune., 1921-11-11
Presidents Take Action.
Subject to U. S. Labor
Board, Following SINH
lar Step by Lines in West
Total of 100000
Workers Affected
Move to Reduce Rates
Also Gets Under WAY
at Executives Meeting

Machinery for reducing railroad
wages was set in motion here yesterday
when members of the Eastern presi-
dents conference at meeting in the
metropolitan Club voted to post notices
OF reductions of 10 per cent for train
men and cuts in other departments
similar to those already in force in
other industries. This move, which
was announced by l.. f. Loree, presi-
dent of the Delaware G. Hudson Com
pany and chairmen of the presidents
conference, follows similar action
taken by the managers of the Western
group of railroads in Chicago Monday.
The action of both the Eastern and
Western roads was in accordance with
the announcement of T. De Witt Guy
Ter, chairman of the Association of
Railway Executives, in Chicago on Oc-
tober ID, that general wage reduc-
tion of 10 per cent for train service
employees would be requested Of the
United States Railroad Labor Board.
The statement pledged the management
of the roads to make corresponding
cuts in rates as soon as the wage de-
creases were approved. Roads in the
Southern territory are expected short
ly to announce plans similar to those
already adopted by the Eastern and
Western lines.
To Confer With Commission
Following melting Of the member
roads of the Association of Railway
to the meeting of the Eastern presi-
dents conference, Mr.. Cuyler an
nounced that the executive committee
would confer with the Interstate Com
merce Commission in Washington to-
morrow morning with reference to the
measures being taken to reduce freight
rates. The executive committee is to
report back to a further meeting OF
the member roads to be held next
Wednesday afternoon in the New Ha-
ven board room at the Grand Central
Terminal.
"The program of the railroads,
adopted at their meeting in Chicago on
October a." Mr.. Cuyler said, "has not
been modified in any detail, and is in
full force and effect.'
Members Of the association who at
tended yesterdays meeting restated the
position of that body, which was that
the. only way to put into effect a gen
eral reduction in rates was first to cut
wages. This will be the attitude taken
by the executive committee at to-
state Commerce Commission.
The decision of the Eastern and
Western roads Immediately to post no.
tlces of 10 per cent wage cut is in
accordance with the provisions of the
transportation act. The employees are
allowed thirty days in which to state
their position; then conferences will
be held prior to the hearings before
the Labor Board, which are expected
to begin soon after the first of the
year: The belief among railroad ex-
ecutives is growing that the board will
render, decision early in the year, de-
spite the boards recent statement that
1T would not be able to make decision
on the wage question before next JULY.
Affect 100000 Employees
The notices to be sent out to the
railroad employees in the Eastern
classification territory will go to- about
100000 workers employed on fifty-two
roads north of the Ohio River and east
Of the Mississippi. The number now
employed represents an increase of
$4,000 men, compared with those en-
poyed when the 1914 per cent reduc-
tion went into effect on July l last.
Proposed wage cuts in the West will
affect about 100000 men and in the
South 800 900, making a total of more
than 100000.
Members Of the executive committee
of the Association of Railway Execu-
tives, who will go to WASHINGTON to-
morrow to confer with the Interstate
Commerce Commission, include Mr..
Cuyler, chairman; E. N. Brown, chair
man of the St. Louis-San Francisco
& Pere Marquette; S. M FELTON,, presi-
dent Of the Chicago, Great Western;
Hale Holden, president Of the Chicago,
Bur ington & Quincy; julius Krutt-
schnitt, chairman of the Southern
Pac fic; R S. Lovett, chairman of the
Union Pacific; Samuel Rea, president
OF the Pennsylvania; A. r. Smith,
president of the New York Central;
w. B. Storey. president of the Santa
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