The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-15
PUBLIC BEING
GRATED

Chicago, Jan. 10.-Charges that
American railroads are in conspiracy
t. create unemployment and are de-
IIauding The American people out of
millions of dollars through operations
OF cost plus system of contracts
with equipments and repair companies
were made today by representatives
OF employees of the roads, appearing
before the railroad labor board. The
railroad operators presented counter
testimony all afternoon and will con-
clude their statement tomorrow
The employees charges, which de-
clarcd that so per cent Of the rail-
road mileage in the country was con-
trolled by the Morgan steel interests,
asserted that maintenance costs had
been inflated at the expense of the
public. This was done. according to
statement OF B. M.'Jewell, head of the
railway employees department of the
American Federation Of Labor by let
ting contracts 10 equipment COM
panies, controlled by the same banks
that controlled the railroads"
Under the guarantee of the Esch-
Cummings act, the alleged inflated
costs constitute Il fraud against the
United States government and oper-
ated to throw out of employment
more than $4,000 skilled railroad en-
ployees," Mr.. Jewell said.
Declaring that the cargoes had no
relevancy to the hearing on rules and
working conditions under considera-
ton before the board, E. T. Whittier,
chairman of the managers committee
Of the railroads. asserted that they
were made Ito divert public attention
from the matters in controversy"
Examples designed to show in
equalities in present rules were re-
cited in detail by Mr. Whittier. He
declared the present national agree
ments should not in the interests of
honest, efficient and economical man
agement be continued and said uni
versal application of their provisions
was impracticable because the only
parties fully qualified to consider such
regulations are individual manage
ments and the employees themselves.
Mr.. Whittier urged a return to the
piece work plan. He declared that
was recognized as the most efficient
method of operation and attempt to
show what had been accomplished
under the piece work system as COM
pared with the same work now done
by the hour.
Specified hours and restricted start
ing times were deplored in numerous
examples brought out to show, Mr.
Whittier said. uneconomical practice.
Overtime and extra Shifts were cited
on several roads to show that the
work done could be performed by
regular shifts in regular hours if the
roads were not restricted by the pres
ent rules.
The case was cited of Norfolk &
Western machinist who arrived Is
| minutes before his call and was in
| structed TO fix a broken water glass
as emergency work. He performed
Is minutes labor. according TO the
| testimony and under the rule had TO
be paid for Chree hours and 20 min
uteS at times and a half.
Numerous other examples were pre-
| sented as evidence of the railroads
! contention that the present rules are
| unjust. Statistics were given for
eight months on the Norfolk & Wes-
tern in 1920. In January there were
2,733 calls with 6.0S7 1-2 hours ac-
tually worked. Hours paid for to-
tailed 1865 under the rule, with
punitive payment of sI,7S766.