The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-28
MAINTENANCE
OF WAY men
ASK INCREASE
Amendment of Esch-Cum-
mings Act To Include Plac-
ing of Basis for Determining
Living Costs Possibility.
PREPARE FOR HEARING

CHICAGO, Aug. 28-Seniority and
were thrust forward by the 10 eastern
roads today before the railroad labor
board when the United Brotherhood
of Maintenance of Way Men and Shop
Laborers began plea for an increase
of minimum wages from % to 4S cents
an hour.
The seniority question, which has
been the chief stumbling block over
which several attempts to end the
strikes Of rail shopmen had several
| times failed. came to the front when
John G. Walder. representing the
eastern railroads, questioned the right
Of the United Brotherhood to repre-
sent employees nthe 10 roads
In the same way, new organiza-
tions were injected into the proceed
ings when Mr.. Walder declared that
as a result of strikes of maintenance
men at points on ten lines, the main
tenance unions could not represent the
majority of trainmen and shop labor
ers on these roads.
o AnSWSG QcSOdys
E. F. Cradle, president of the main
, tenance union was given until tomor
row morning to reply to Mr.. Walkers
contention. Ben w Hooper, chairman
, of the labor board, pointed out that
under decision No. 1, of 1920, in con-
) nection with the switchmen's strike
the board had ruled that strikers were
, outside the Jurisdiction of the board
until they returned to work. Chair
man Hooper asked that Mr.. Cradle
consider the decision of the board. in
T making his reply tomorrow. The
r hearing today was started with two of
the labor members out of the city.
! May Amend Act
: Congress may be asked to amend
:, the Esch-Cummings transportation act
r to include definition or basis for
q placing the minimum cost of living for
q railway employees. it was reported in
J. railroad labor board circles, as prepa-
l. rations were begun for the hearing.
). The hearing was on a petition of the
United Brotherhood of Maintenance OF
C Way employees and railroad laborers
# on more than 10 railroads, asking for
O an increase of minimum wages from
IS % cents to 48 cents an hour, a virtual
$ demand for recognition for a basic
Y for overtime.
e E. F. Cradle president of the Main
D. tenance of Way Men brotherhood, re-
s. fused to affirm or deny the report of
the plan to include a cost of living
based on proposals to amen1 the
transportation act. The unions pos
tion in its effect to increase the mini
mum wage of % cents to 4S cents
\ an hour was to be developed in testi-
Il mony to be given by w. Lock, labro
statistician.
q" Prepares Statement
!; Mr.. Cradle had in addition prepared
- a long statement for presentation to
IL the board John G. Alder, representing
is the eastern roads, and John Higgin
V the western roads, represent the rail
: roads in the case.
i The maintenance men based their
rs claims for higher wages on increases
at in the cost of living. E. F. Cradle said
the % to So cents an hour scale pro
- vided by the rail board July decision
~ was less than living wage"
nj Mr.. Cradle, in entering the hearing
Id today was armed with a strike vote
ci- which his organization approved as
the shopmen walked off their jobs. He
ne characterized the case as the most i'm
v
lg ton.
81 Must Accept Principle
"The board must face and, I think
accept" he declared. "the principle O.
= the living wage if it is to follow ou
the intent of the law and if its de
cisions are to be equitable and just anC
! meet the human needs of the railway
workers"
"The maintenance of way employees
or have remained at work since July
St under the expectation and actual as
surance by the original trainers of tht
he transportation act that they would b,
H. able to secure living wage under th'
ol- provisions of the existing law"
Wages on some roads, Mr. Grabl,
continued, had been forced down a
73 low as 171b cents an hour employs
81 receiving this pay being compelled Il
work II hours to exc out bare ex
73 istence.
er
it. CLEVELAND, Aug. 2s-Postpone
* ment until tomorrow of the conferenc
It of big Four" chiefs and T. c. CASHIER
re- president of the switchmen's union, I
III determine the future policy of tn
;u- transportation men toward the sht i
of mems strike was announced today y
as Warren S. Stone, president of tn
ne Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineer.
m. This action was necessary Ston
.es said, because of the inability of L. +
~ Sheppard, president of the Order c
III Railroad Conductors, and Cashen, {
,es reach Cleveland
ier Possibility that firemen and el
lin gineers may take IAN indefinite leav
no of absence" because of alleged intimit
alton by armed guards and defectiv
railroad equipment loomed This Al
+ee ton would completely demoralize tn
bly, hdtloh transportation system.
to-
on. 4 of 9 Arrested on Train
or ~