The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1921-05-20
Inc. FOR 1870 over 191e 81. SOC. So. 21o

Inc. for 1920 over 1919 81 ,4s5, ss4,21
Mr.. Kruttschnitt, In showing how
little contgol the railroads had over
necessary expenditures, said:
"Sixty-four cents out OF every dol
lar OF operating expenses were, In
1920, paid out TO labor, and the wages
Of labor are fixed by the government.
Fifteen cents out OF every dollar
Of operating expenses was paid for
materials and supplies at prices nxed
by the government.
"Three and one-half cents out OF
every dollar was paid for other ex-
penses incurred by the government in
the first two months Of 1920.
"A total. therefore, OF S2h cents out
OF every dollar OF operating expenses
for 1920 was paid out at prices direct
Iy fixed by the government.
1.-THE remainder, up TO s7X cents,
was for materials and supplies, pur-
chased at prices fixed by general mar
ket conditions and beyond the power
Of the railroads to control"
To Illustrate how lybor costs were
inflated by the National Agreements
entered into during federal control
fixing rules and working conditions,
the following examples were cited:
l. The Pere Marquette Railway was
compelled 10 pay 50. 364 IN back pay
TO four employees because their titles
under these agreements were changed
by decision of the Director General:
while the nature OF their duties and
the volume OF their work remained
the sauW.
q: car repairer on the virsinian
Railway was paid 81 900 for work he
never did. He was laid OF with other
employees because there was no work
for him TO do. When he became en-
titled under his seniority rights" TO
be employed. he received back pay
and overtime.
g. The Shop Crafts Agreement pro-
vides that when employees are
Quired 20 check In and out on their
own time they will be paid for one
hour extra ct the close OF each week
no matter how few hours they may
have worked. This rule in the first
six months OF 1920 cost the railways
$500. 900. or at rate OF SIS. 600 600 a
year.
T. On the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail-
road piecework car repairers decreas-
ers 1914 per cent in efficiency under a
guarantee OF a fixed minimum rate
per hour.
s. on the abolition OF piece work
on the Union Pacific Railroad in the
wheel shop at Omaha. Nebr. the time
required for the same work was in
creased 3l.s per cent and the output
was cut down 20 per cent: and in a
| coach cleaning yard at Denver the
time required was increased 3ss per
cent and the output decreased 2s per
cent.
s. Southern Pacific employees.
whose sole duty was TO keep watch
on stationary engines and to stop the
engine in case anything went wrong.
were reclassihed by Director General
as electrical workers" one man on
| the Salt Lake division being given
| back pay OF s2.3sl. another S2,0s4.
another s.. 00e. another 81 .O03. and six
others amounts varying from $500
| to 1900.
Z Under the present classification
rules OF the shop crafts. in order TO
change nozzle tip in the front end
! OF q locomotive IL Is necessary 10 ca /
boiler maker and his helper TO open
the dsor. because that is boiler max
| ers work: 10 call a pipsman and his
helper 10 remove the blower pipe
because that is pipemen's work; and
call machinist and his helper to re-
move the tip. because that Is ma
chinists work: also for the same force
TO be employed for putting In the new
| tip.
Questioned by Senator Poindexter
Mr.. Kruttschnitt stated that these in
stances might be increased indefinite
" and were characteristic on railroad
" the country. as result OF tn
Agreements" left over from federa
control.