Great Falls tribune., 1922-04-12
LABOR
DE|MURSAT IDLE.
MAN PAY BASIS
r. r. Board Told Cuts
Made Exceed Reduc-
tions in Living Costs.
Wage Paid Declared to
Cause Children of En-
loyes to Be Underfed.

Chicago, April 11.-The man without
job. due to industrial depression.
should not be allowed to represent a
standard to which other workers would
be Debated, railway employees told the
railroad labor board Tuesday. in de-
claring that labor should not be treated
as commodity subject to the law of
supply and demand, but deserved an
adequate living wage"
Statisticians representing the main
ers, fighting against wage cut pro-
posed by the railroads, argued for
wage sufficient to support a standard
of living based on health. decency and
q reasonable and moderate degree of
comfort Common labor on the rail
roads. according to Arthur Sturgis.
economist, of Washington d. C.. has
already been reduced more than the
fall in the cost of living and Justice
to the worst paid of the railroad work
ers. indeed would demand an immedi-
ate increase
DefIation Held Excessive
Wage tribunals. however. must keep
at least one foot on the ground" Mr..
Sturgis said and added that he did not
ask higher wages now, preferring to let
the increase come in the form of de-
creased living costs.
"Since December. 1919, the cost Of
living his declined 1917 per cent said
Mr. Sturgis, whereas the board has re
duced the wage rates of the section
foremen 151. per cent. and of section
laborers 1872 per cent so these main
tenance of way employees have already
been Debated by more than the fall in
the cost of living"
w. Jett Lauck. statstician. declared
there was no justification for any
railroad wage reductions. adding that !
further deflation Of common labor was
impossible since it would be equiv |
alent to depriving laborers and theii.
families of the very means of subsist- !
ence. would be violative of public and'f
private morals and contrary to all con
siderations of sound and enlightened |
public policy
Means Death to Children
Any further reduction in the wages |
of railroad maintenance of way en- |
plOyes. would doom to still further
degradation the families of 100000 !
track and shop laborers who are at !
present receiving such low wages that
it is impossible for them to secure
proper food and the other bare ncces-
sites of existence" declared Frank T.
Walsh. counsel for these employees.
''The majority of these employees"
continued Mr.. Walsh. ARE now receiv-
ing an average wage Of only $40
month. ~and within the last year have
suffered reduction of almost 20 per
cent. ] contend that no man can sup
port family at a level Of human de-
ccncy on so a month.
Economic and medical experts have
scientifically that twice
this amount and more is necessary to
a family at even the lowest
level that can be conceived of at
minimum purchasing price to the house
hold Of an American citizen.
He suggested that this amount is
less than the ordinary middle class
family. living frugally, spends for food
alone.
Evidence shows that existing wages
10 not permit of proper nutrition of
and cause high rate Of in
fant mortality he declared. "A fur !,
her decrease in wages by the board
would amount to an act Of wholesale ,