New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-06-10
Sd Cut in Rail
PayNext Week
Hits $4,000
Clerks TO Suffer Less Than
Signal Men and Others in
Railroad Labor Boards
Approaching Reduction
Lines Deprecate Strike
Predicted Shopmen viii Not
Walk Out Unless Teleg-
raphers Take Like Action


CHICAGO, June 9.-More thar
$4,000 railroad clerks, signal men
stationary fremen and oilers will be
affected by wage cuts 20 be announced
next week By the United States Rail
road Labor Board This will be the
third Of a series Of wage reductions
which began with the maintenance OF
ways employees and shopmen. About
$40 900 was Topped of in the two
reductions In the last two weeks, and
IL is expected that the same general
rate will be observed IN making the
new cuts.
Il is said that the signal men prob
ably win escape a very deep cut. while
the tecgraphers, numbering $1,000
will not be dealt with at all in the or
der of next week. Another report is
that the clerks will not suffer much,
since they had not been advanced as
much as the others What actual cuts
will be made IS not yet known.
Rail observers who have been travel
ing over thc lines declare that unless
the telcgraphers should strike the
shopmcn viii not walk out. Until the
case OF the telegraphers is decided
they viii not have anything 20 strike
about. As many rail experts view IL,
the roads could keep running even with
tle maintenance OF way men and the
shoD crafts out. II the teleYraphcrs
joincd IN it would seriously hamper
train movement, as the experts say a
walk-Out Of $4,000 telegraphers would
iniure trans portation far more than q
walk-out Of the shop crafts and the
maintenance OF way men, VINO normally
aggregate about 100000.
AS some rail chiefs viewed It to-day
after reports from all parts Of the
country. there would be no strike Of
note. They predict tho men viii vote
TO strike, but the leaders, they argue,
viii not LET 81 60 90 on actual Ha'.-out.
After July ) some Of the maintenance
o. way forces may quit, they declare,
md perhaps some o. the shoprlen, this
depending upon how easily employment
is obtained .n other districts.
There is absolutely no Qualification
for G. strike Of railroad employees"
said samuel ". FELTON,, president Of the
Chicago. Great Western road, in an ad-
dress before the Executives Club to-
day.
Mr. FELTON, was I'm charge Of al mill
tary trains during the war; lie says
the 81. per cent rate Of return cstab-
isacd as sufficient by the Interstate
Commerce Commission endangered the
equipment Of the roads and might rem
dcr them incapable OF carrying the
freight Of the country.
Tie declared that a rail strike in pro-
test against the Sli0,00O,000 wage cut
was uniustifca In view O. the fact that
the railroads. through freight rcduc-
aions, have suffered a cut Of s400000 o.
600 IN their revenues.
The recent wage reductions and
those expected viii work no hardship
on the men. Mr FELTON, said. Business
is returning 60 normal, cost Of living
is decreasing and an other lines. *.
ccpt labor. are accepting the rcadiust-
mcnts .n good nature. He pointed out
that. even with tire reductions, rail
road mon viii still be receiving q wage
in excess Of Shat paid in other inlus-
tries that Che men themselves have
eT1octcd the reduction and have ar
ranged Tor lt. so there Is no justifca-
zion for tho strike threats by the lead
ors. TIE said the real question before
Che country was not rates and wages,
but inadequate transportation facili-
ties that must be remediod before the
country can get into its stride.