Evening star., 1922-10-30

1he opIulOH, III LHc 10TH OL q TO
joinder to a dissenting opinion filed
by A. o. Wharton, labor member. In
the recent decision increasing the
pay Of maintenance of way employees
2 cents an hour, declared II employees
were granted a 72 to rs cents mini
mum wage for common labor, with
corresponding differentials for other
in the nations railroad wage bill
would be necessary. This the opinion
said, would add s3.122.s52.Ss7 to the
annual pay roll, bringing 1t to 3d.
5s9,445,993, which would mean, 1t
added, an annual deficit to the car
riers of s2.241. 1.639,518.
Forty-Eight-Cent Minimum Hit.
Even If the 48 cent minimum
wage requested by maintenance of
way men were granted, and corre-
other classes of employees, the opinion
said. an increase Of 50.45 per cent in
wages would be necessary, adding
l,24e,39O.994 to the annual wage bin
of the roads. bringing it up to 3d.
725.Ss4.54O. thus forcing the carriers
to face an annual deficit of $378,07S,-
i125.
The phrase living wage was term
ed In the opinion as "a bit of melliflu-
Gus phraseology. we'll calculated to
deceive the unthinking."
Living Wage Granted.
eff the contentious were that the
board should establish living
wage the majority you'd readily ac-
cede to the proposition the opinion
said land as Il matter of fact, the
board in this INSTANCE. as in all 9th
ers, has granted living wage. But
the abstract. elusive thing called the
living wage corfessedly based upon
a makeshift and guess. cannot re-
ceiye the sanction of this board. be-
cause it would be utterly impractical
and would not be just and reasona-
ble' as the law demands"
Mr.. Wharton's dissenting opinion
and the supporting opinion In reply
are attached to the formal decision
increasing the pay of maintenance OF
way employees cents an hour, estab-
fishing a minimum ranging from 25
to 81 cents. The United Brotherhood
of Maintenance of Way Employees,
railway shop laborers. held strike
order affecting 100000 men in abey-
anee last July after the board had
reduced wages pending a request Tor
an increase based on the contention
that the costs of living had advanced
and wages in other industries had
been raised.
Raised Two Cents an Hour.
When the case came up mainte-
nance of way officials asked the board
to subscribe to the principle OF the
iliving wage based on a budget OF
what was required for an average
family of FIVE persons to i've m
health, and reasonable comfort. "A
majority of the board refused to SUD
scribe to this principle. asserting that
acf
tablishing a just and reasonable
wage and that a just and reasonable
wage was in effect living wage.
The maintenance of way organiaa-
ton asked the board to establish min
imum rates of pay of 4s cents an
hour to replace rates then in erect
ranging from 20 to IS cents. After
deadlock of several days the board
made public its decision formally
handed down today increasing rates
of nav 2 cents an hour and adding
about sec. .0OD,O 600 to the railroad pay
roll.
The decision asserted that the in
crease was due mostly to the fact
that higher rates of wages were be-
ing paid for the same classes of work
in other industries, and that there
had been no appreciable increase in
the cost of living.
Wharton Files Dissent.
Mr.. Wharton in mis- dissenting opin-
ion maintained that the Fundamental
error" Of the decision rested on fall
ure to inquire into "the adequacy
of rates of pay established for sec
ton men and unskilled laborers." He
asserted that rates of pay in other
industries of similar character should
be made a secondary consideration
and that the prime factor to be con-
sidered was whether the rates fixed
were Just and reasonable. which he
said meant an adequate and living
wage under the transportation act.
He maintained that the law of sup
ply and demand whieh operated in
private Industries to Ak the pAce of
labor should not be taken as a basis
by the Labor Board. The board. he
contended, should find what should
be a. just and reasonable wage by
computing a family budget contain
ing the expenses of the average
family.
Budget Method Attacked.
He maintained that the. living-wage
that added labor costs would be ab-
sorbed in large part by, increased ef-
ficlency of the men and by managerial
ability.
Pointing out that Mr. Wharton
would ignore the provision Of the
transportation act directing the Labor
Board to consider wages paid in other
industries of other similar nature in
fixing wages. the supporting opinion
declared that those responsible for
the decision considered this as well as
other factors set forth in the law.
Attacking the budget method of de-
termining what should be a living
wage. the supporting opinion says:
THAT it would be wise and practical
to undertake to establish an arbitrary
standard of living for several mil
lions OF persons is not apparent; that
the desires and requirements Of ali
men are equal and alike is not cor
rect, and that any committee Of ex-
perts could set up an average living
Sta ndard Upon which q wage scale
could be practically based has not
been demonstrated anywhere.
Living standards Improve.
THAT standards OF living are
gradually improving In this country
is undoubtedly true. and this Is al Il
Should be. There Is no member OF
the Labor Board who does not pro-
desire improved living con-
ditions for common labor, but it is
our belief that this movement must
be continued along lines indicated by
human experience and that it cannot
be oohsummated in the twinkline Of
an eye by artificial expedienta"
Asserting experts testifying for the
OF way organization, ad.
mitted that Immediate establishment
Of living wage would "throw q
monkey wrench into the Industrial
and that the boAfd thsfs.