The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-04-19
RAIL BOARD TO
PROCEED With
WAGE HEARINGS
Will Hear Disputes in Spite of
the Protest of Labor
Organizations.
CLAIM MADE LIVING
EXPENSES ARE LOWER
Ask For Reduction in Proportion
to the Wages of Other
Industries.
(ay The Associated Press1.

CHICAGO, April ls.-Eastern railroads
appearing before the United States rail
road labor board opened their drive TODAY
for sweeping wage reductions for all IN
skilled labor and, in some instances. for
shop and train service employees. Over
the protest of the labor organizations
the board decided to proceed with CON
sohdated wage hearings of disputes GER
titled by SO railroads from all sections of
the country. The board decided to pro-
ceed Immediately despite the three va =
cancies due to the fact that congress has
not yet confirmed President Harding's ap-
pointees and that one member is absent.
Five members, quorum, remain, how
ever, an dthe board ruled IT, e was no
reason for postponing the case.
Scores of exhibits, most of them deal
ing with the cost of living and wages for
similar labor in other Industries, were
filed with the board as carrier after car
rier laid it's evidence before the board
this afternoon. Nearly two score roads
had finished their presentation when the
session finally adjourned.
Following a protest early in the day by
The employees, the board had extended the
time limit for each sides testimony to
live days of five hours each. Tomorrow
another division of roads will present
their evidence.
Special representatives of the New York
Central Erie and the New England roads
presented their own cases. Other eastern
roads were represented by j. G. Walber
Of the bureau of information of eastern
railroads. who stated the contentious of
each road separately.
In opening their plea for wage reduc-
tions, the carriers declared there had
been a widespread reduction of wages of
from 10 to so per cent and that the cost
of living had receded steadily for several
months.
Ten New England roads presented ex-
hihits through o. l.. Bardo, general man
ager of the N. Y, n. H. & H. railroad
including a report from the Massachu-
setts commission on the necessities of
life, which showed a 35.3 per cent re-
duction in the cost of living there since
July, 1920
Hourly wages on New England lines
were quoted by Mr.. BardO. had increased
from Is to As 1-2 cents since 1914.
TT will therefore be seem he con-
cluded. that the increase in basic hour
ly rates and weekly compensation varies
between 140 and 240 per cent, whereas
the increased cost of living at it's peak
was 1926 over 1914, and is now 66 per
cent higher than in 1914"
Although no gerEraI wage was suggest
ed in asking reductions, officials of the
Erie requested that the scale of April 80
1920, he placed in effect and that the
board suspend it's wage decision of July
1920, pending re-establishment of reason
able wages. The rates named were those
in effect just prior to the 1920 wage de
cision, which became effective May, 1920
The Erie would make the boards new
decision retroactive if the old scale did
not meet the new decision. Elisha Lee
Of the Pennsylvania Eastern lines asked
reductions affecting 1856 600 employees
following conference with practically all
employees except the train service.