The Washington herald., 1922-06-17
Slash of $26,500,O00 Also
Includes Many Sta
tion Employees.
TOTAL REDUCTIONS
NOW S134,9SS, 900
Becoming Operative Next
July 1, They Affect
1,25O,O0O Workers.

CHICAGO. June ia cut OF
s2s.5oo.0oO a year In the paw OF
some $4,000 rail workers. the eeat-
bulk % them IN the clerical ard
station forces. was announced late
today by the United States Railroad
Labor Board. The reductions rang.
from cents to cents an hour,
nearly two-thirds Of the men Affect
ed being chopped cents
The finding reduces the paw Of
2oS.5oO clerks and station employees
cents an hour: 10000 others. 4
cents an hour; 10000 signalmen.
cents an hour: $500 stationary fire.
men. engineers and oilers, ? cents
an hour. and 1000 helpers IN tie
signal department. cents an hour.
Train dispatchers and supervisory
forces. as forecast, are not touched.
The slash. which 10 the third in a
series Of three. like the others,
goes into effect July /.
Total Cut Now sI34sss.ooo.
All told. the aggregate reductions
in pay which become operative July
!. amount TO S1S4.sss.sOO a year.
They s1ect about l.25O.OOO workers,
under normal conditions OF employ
ment
As tabulated by the boards er-
perts the cuts made by the series
of wage reduction orders. are.
Clerical and station
FORCES ..-.-..----- s2a.536.alT
Stationary engine
boiler room. 5Sle5s
Signal department. i5s24sS
Maintenance OF way. 4s.sse.S7s
Shop employees. 5s.s6sss7
Total -..----.-..... SIs4 ssS.sls
All union organizations embraced
IN the cuts are taxing a strike hal
lot returnable June IS. Union chiefs
declare that indications are that the
men will vote to place with thei-
leaders full authority to call a
strike. This Is the usual course.
! I is by no means synonymous with
an actual walkout. as for example.
tie threatened rail strike OF last
year. For the first time IN this Sc
ries OF wage chops the majority 4
] weMHHn-
tions with a discussion Of condition.
in the transportation world aad OF
tht general economic factors in
pellinC them TO carve the paw en-
velopes
-LivinE waEr' Recognized.
Definite recognition Of the lsv-
!ng and saving wage" is given n
the decision The board says that ul-
der the abnormal condit .ons nf tba
slump and recovery period Il his
oeen impossible TO deal with the
! problem Of just and reasonE5'e
wages in the "undisturbed and NJ
complicated" fashion possihl. n
normal times As soon as business
recovery drives out the 'ahno-rnaT
tiles Of the board. the hoard
declares II viii be possible To give
| increased consideration TO all The
Intricate details incident 10 tie
scientific adjustment Of the liv.ns,
and saving vase"
The split in the board Is S,pl
| widening The majority decision
was signed by the public and raI-
road groups. A disscntinE onfD.on
opposing any reduction was s!gu~f
by Arthur o. Wharton and Albert
Phillips. labor members W. L Nc
I aNtAlhlhtHs lnc mira labCr mem her
is absent from the city.
The dissenters declare cost %
living is brushed aside" by the ma
jority. which thus denies the val.
idity' of a specific provision Of -hs
railroad act A rejoinder is being
prepared by the majority. Il IS aN-
pected TO be ready for issuance lat.
tomorrow
Declared "spssmodfc Relapse
In today's opinion the majority.
referring to the charges Of the m ~
ority that the board has not given
'full consideration" to the evidence.
says. such utterancas evidence
merely a spssmodic relapse into the
I'd system n oluff and bluster that
entered so largely into the ADJUST
ment ~ railway labor disputes be-
fore adjudication supplante force"
In keeping the pay Of the train
| dispatchers intact. the hoard say,
| this Is due to the nature and re-
sponsibility OF the work. The same
holds true OF the supervisory forces
OF the signal department The case
] Of the teleCraphers is not toucheo
upon: due to complex local situa-
uons prolonged discussion will be
necessary.
The board says reductions for the
! 100000 in the clerical forces are
lighter than for some other oiasses
because this class lost heavily
through changes in rules and be.
cause they have not been paid as
well as others