The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-07-18
IllQVID!|EC!AR|Es!
TRYING ! ! | ]
TO BREAK unions
Claims Statement That Roads
Were Given Back Only
s. Half of Truth. -;

&S SPOKkANE Wash. } uiy IL -. -
Many persons suppose that the
ralr Dads were turned back to $thefr
own ers and managers IN $l92U.- put
this is only one Of the half 4:
that will NOT bear inyest1sat1onI,
declared Charles Dillon, assistant
to the chairman OF the western
c6mnnitcee on public relat1on Of
the Association Of Railway Execu-
ltiyes. in an address heSore the
Chamber of Commerce here today
Mr.. Dillon also asserted that.
nothing could be farther from the
truth. than the Impression that
the railways 1'are trying to break
down the unions, and that they
are eager to reduce the mems
wages.
1.-THE truth is we have about all
the government in railroads right
now that the business will stand
1t is the goA eminent which says
what the rates are to be and how
much the roads may be permitted
TO earn if1they can do it; it is the:
government which controls wages
and it controls the conditions I'M
der which the men shall work.
All the reports are made and tho
bookkeeping of the railroads lis
done according to the rules or the
United States government through
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion and upon forms prescribed py
that COMM ssion. There is scarcely
any item Of management not al
rectly under the scrutiny OF the
government at Washington or Chr
cago. 55
I've are now facing an entirely
Z - IL n
When the United States Railroad
Labor Board made the largest az 4
vance in wages ever recorded,
amounting, indeed, to more than
s720, OO0, 900 a year the railroads
accepted the decision without re-
sistance. The men at that time did
NOT uues ton the jurisdiction Of
the board in making this enormous
advance.
'.The railroads promised, last
October to pass on to the pubic
in reduced rates any savings in
operating expenses resulting from
wage cuts. Rates have been redrc-
ed since last January $500 900. 600
1855 100000 approximately, more
thar wages have been cut, based
on the earnings in 1921, or $780,
900 900 if we compare with 1920.
IF total earnings do not increase
very materially, the rate reduc-
tions and the recent wage cuts
will allow the railroads about 3 IL
percent on their valuation. There
lis a difference Of about $443,O00.-
600 between this IL percent
and the ga percent which the
Interstate Commerce Commfssio
says the roads may earn.
IF the net return from your
business were reduced as the net
return Of the roads has been you
probably would close it out 7.
#"'Your business will prosper
largely according to the volume the
roads can handle promptly The
whole present controversy, there
| fore, becomes as much your con-
Germ as it is the concern OF the
railroads because unless Investors
are assured reasonable reward
new capital will not be available
and without this it will not be pos
sible to provide adequate faclll-
| ties
The tie that binds this people
together in national unity is the
railroad tie and if it isn't kept in
good repair the neglect can easily
create national calamity for
which every man and every family
will have to pay
! The public. the speaker sale. .
will be benefited ythe recent
rate reductions only as these re-
ductions, in part are reflected in
lower prices instead OF in increas-
ed profits.