The Washington times., 1922-10-31
Labor Member Of Rail Board
Concludes His Opinion bv
Quoting Editorial Written bv
Mr.. Hearst and Printed in
Washington Times seotsm.
Der II.

CHICAGO. Oct. 3l.-A. G. w,.
ton, labor member OF tbs Iv
states Railroad Board, clo.ed I'M hUm.eo
senting opinion in the casa ,s uis
Brotherhood Of Maintenance ~ - u ,ne
Employees by quoting Willian ps pas
dolph Hearst's editorial n,,hi,.. ah
The Washington Times on Sen,ar. ~ ~
II, and reprinted yesterdsy TSei mS
editorial was headed Theory "'s :
Country Can Benefit from a Rsdre
ton OF Wages Is a Mistake, Saws Mr.
Hearst"
The majority opinion refused ~ a.,
cept this editorial as evidence t., o
case on the grounds that Mr. Haors, ,m,
was not sworn nor cross ss-ouestionaS
and was not shown TO be an a~n y,
on the questions involved,
Mr.. Wharton says in the oni,,.
''The submissions filed hw ~
employees in this dispute oui,e
uniformly requested the restora
ton OF the rates Of pay estaS.
lished by decision No. 2, and nv
August rs. 1922, this request w.s
supplemented by the represe
tive of the employees by the filinr
Of formal motion reading:
Request Living Wage.
1--WE wish formally to request
that the living wage principle bs
accepted by the board and made
the basis OF its action in the pres.
ent case. We make thi. reoues,
as a formal motion. and ask the
board to take it under consi era.
ton and give us Il formal ruling
before We proceed further WITH
the case.
Il. That the board recognize
the living wage as the bass -
the decision in this case.
%. That In applying this princi.
pie. a minimum rate of not less
than 4s cents an hour be award.
ed TO all OF our members, who. IN.
der your last Wage decision No
lO2S docket l300J. are receiving
. 2S cents an hour or less.
rs. That for those who are NOW
receiving more than 2S cents an
hour their differential in cents
above 28 cents be added to the
new minimum rate Of 48 cents an
hour"
THE decision of the majority
in this case Is fundamentaIlv un.
sound and upaccep:a able on the
same grounds which were set
forth in the dissenting opinion of
the minority in decision No. .l02S.
At that time the views of the
minority were developed in great
detail, and are applicable to the
case under discussion. They
may he briefly summarized by
the following excerpt from the
dissenting opinion to decision No.
1923:
"OD The rates Of pay estab.
lished under this decision az the
basic minimum rates of the trans.
portation. industry will merely
perpetuate the low level OF pur.
chasing power possessed by this
large class Of workers in pre.war
years.
"(s) The rates of pay estab.
lished under this decision will mean
annual earnings far below any
minimum standard OF subsistence
which has been formulated. even
below those Of most conservative
employer groups.
Not Based ON Needs.
"(0 The rates of pay cstab.
lished under this decision are not
based upon the human needs OF
the hundreds Of thousands of fami.
lies involved. They are INSULT.
cicnt to provide these families with
the absolute essentials. The earn.
ings of this large group OF railroad
employees will not provide IN"
father OF family with as much
food az is allowed conVicts in the
Cook county, Illinois, jail.
"CD The pre.war standard per
petuated by this decision was the
product of inequitable wage bar'
gains. II is considerable below the
level recognized at that time as
necessary for the maintenance OF
health and energy.
An inadequate wage Is UNJUST
and unreasonable.
The fundamental error or the ma
jOrity rests upon their refusal ID
inquire into the adequacy OF the
rates of pay established for section
men and unskilled laborers. Al:
though these rates may be piaccu
on higher level than those paid
by private Industries this does not
meet the reuuircments imposed on
the Labor Board by the Transports
tiUn act.
Wages Just, Reasonable
The specific and fundamental
mandate Of the law 10 that wages
shall lie lust and reasonable. IN"
relation Of rates Of pay to those
established in private INDUSTRY or
the relation of rates OF pay 70 me
cost OF living, is a SECONDARY
consideration which does not come
into play until the PKIMAhn re-
quirements Of lust ana reason.
able" or an adequate or living wage
has been satisfied.
Under these duties OF the board
1t Is manifest that the rates OF
pay Of ur skilled workers, or tD"s"
at the bottom os the wage struc,
ture, must first be estanlish'd
on an adequate basis--a a''s
sufficlon, 70 maintain and per
~ uuate IN a reasonably coI''ol''
able and decent way tne uh'
skilled worker and his ..miv-
and after this has been done Just
and rrasonable differentials ABOVE
this basic wage for unskl'Ied
labor must be established IN con
ncction with skill, e2periei.c"' ep'
productiveness, hazard. training
etr"tero In other words. In con-
neC'ion with seven reieV""' o!'