Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-28
REFORM RAILROAD
MANAGEMENT FIRST,
WORKERS TELL BOARD
Union Insists Lines Are Oper-
ated Without Any Pretence'
Whatever of Economy.
EMPHASIZE THE LIVING COST
Nv Associated Press to Every Evening.

nv Associated Press to Every tVeninG'
chicago. April 2s-Reduction OF rail
road wages would impair the standard
of American living and would nave NO
Justification in ethics. economic reasoh
or the cold. concrete facts OF present
dav industrial life. IL was declared py
II Nj Jewell head of the railway
unions. who opened the employees hght
"a retain present wage scales before the
Railroad Labor Board today.
contentious Of the railroads that the
cost of living had declined since the
W,c, award Of July 1920 were met w1th
IN, reply that that award WAS based
an tn. prices Of December 1917. ana
mot ON those Of July 1890, the peak
al hleh prices Mr.. Jewell declared that
n would require three years Tor rah-
vaN employees at their present wages
t. rctoup the losses sustained durihE
IN. war period. by the failure OF their
.nlnings To keep pace with the Increased
cost ~ living
The railroads rush in and say give
us our pound of flesh he said. even
before u can he determined whether the
cost ii living has actually declined
since the award nf this board or whether
il VIII h. higher or lower IN the future.
MI iFNFit tfdlitb iifNtfitAa'~ ''''rN'
rates in similar industries and changes
81 he cost of living as the two main
considerations which should direct til"
boards decision.
coal mining and the steel industries
A. only h.sic industries that may h'
eouparcd t. the railroad industry. ho
continued and il IS we'll known that
there hav, hc.r no wage cuts fot th'
-lsas-e
In addition to- the two main princi-
rlcs set ~ as i guide for the board i'
war. determinations there arc also
otncr and NOR, fundamental conditions
va,h must receive judicial notice
Tncs, arr
-Fconomy and efficiency. The
t,,nspnrtation act requires that The
railroads op.raf, with due economy and
smsicocy ~ shall show that this
has not hc.,, done. that because "f TN
If, ,rcia control and policy - tn" rail
r.,ds r,eou-ccs have been disspatec
improperly distributed improve
ntS ana rnaiutainanr, deferred and
ancratius costs grcaty advanced dc
-..t. th, r.,u.t~,d work and productive
aaru,, !. railway employees. OuT
,..ag.u-i,r shall ho therefore. that th'
},lr,i cannot entertain plea for re-
ds. ttao jn WaE,- under any circum
-ttugcs uuti ,he inadeduacies Of man
a-.rer. au1 The high operating cost
l,-I'ttue the~efrom havc been elimin
r.ei
tn. ccnerai polio, ~ indus
ii, I'll mann items of operating n
posses sr, III course. fuel. supplies y
au sIuds. and abor We shall show
49,. IA. sam, financial interests Thicl
cortro the railroads also control III
production 81 fuel timber equipment. oi
ara athci supplies and that thcy hav
ermjrod mon 4 policy of fecreasinl
r.aa .Npcnscs by reducsuE wage
rd 4 th. satne tinr charging IN
v4e-7rted and unreasonable rr7crS ~
ap1ce nhur rho railroads must pur
elias. ", shall contend thar iii boar
eaa,sI aot .ansid.H any !. ,nf. s1ts rcI
atte 4. fhr i4tes af wa.
ole,r aat9 II is 81 n. n
-aads arc tn. hciac d q pur
c.8s. thei. supplies AT rNorhltaut price: