New-York tribune., 1922-06-17
Clerks. Signal Men and
Stationary Firemen Arc
SIashcd 2 To q Cents an
Hour by Labor Board
Ruling Recognizes
"A Living Wage"
Details, However, Cannot
BE Worked Out Until
Normal Conditions Are
Restored, Says Decision
ss,r,al Dorofrh - M Trlb0re


Special Disrofch - The Trtbnre
CHICAGO. June l6.-A cut of
S26, 100000 year in the nay of
some $4,000 rail workers, The great
bulk Of them in the clerical and sta.
lion forces, was announced late 20.
day By the United States Railroad
Labor Board The reductions range
from two 10 six cents an hour,
nearly ,wo-thrds Of the men affected
beMg slashed three cents.
The finding reduces the pay Of
POS, 800 clerks and station employees
three cents an hour; $4,000 others,
iour cents an hour; 10000 signal
men. five cents an hour. $500 sta
tionary fremen, engineers and oil
ers, two cents an hour, and 1000
helpers in the signal department,
six cents an hour.
Train dispstchers and supervisory
forces, as forecast, are not touched
Telephone girls, who, the board de-
clsred. have suffered from dispropor-
tionatc increases and decreases. ars
given q minimum wage o. Ss' mortf.
A further proviso says tia, .ay hello
girls" who receive more than that
amount AZ present shall no. sgaer aay
reduction.
Dining car employee and to culi.
nary workers on the ferries ~ San
Francisco Bay will continue % gat
their present psy.
Marine workers wages are IN
touched
So Cents an Hour for Clerks
Figures In the decision showed that
clerks will receive under the new
scale an average Of 5s.5 cents az hour.
compared with 34.5 cents Do Dc1embcr
1917, when the government took over
the railroads
The fremen and oilers receive an IN.
crease from 2l.S cents an hour IN 1917
20 fg6 cents on July i4.
The slash, which is tho third m
series of three ike tlc others. gcti
into effect July 4 AZ told, tic AZ
gregate reductions IN pay which be-
come operative July amount 20 tl3i.'
gsS 600 a year. They affect about
I $50, 600 workers untor norma, condi-
tions Of employment
A. tabulaied By the board cypsrts,
the cuts made By the series % wage
reduction orders are.
cier.cl. An1 station forces '.iiiffii
s..oe-.ry engine AMI boiler
SIGNAL dspsrins-, .. ifItt.s
Maintenance - vHy y...,..t... t.tfse SO
Shop employees .tt.,.ssst.. si'''.''i
Total ... ............ .fiftfsseig
All union organizations embraced IN
the cuts are taking strike ballot, re-
turnablc June 25, A. result ~ the
reductions Union chiefs declare the
indications arc that the men viii vote
% place with their leaders full author
ty TO call a strike. This is fhe usual
course. T. is by no means Synonymous
with an actual Yalk-out, as, foT exam
pie. the threatened rail strike Of last
year.
Recognize Living Wage"
For the first tine In this series Of
wage cuts. the majority OF ;ne board
accompanied the reductions with @ DIS
eussion Of conditions In the tfanspOrta-
ton world and OF tie genera. economic
factors impelling them % cut tho pay
envelopes.
Definite recognition Of the living
and saving wage" Is given IN the d's-
cussion. The board says that under
the abnormal conditions of the slump
and recovery period IL has been impos-
sible 70 deal with the problem Of just
and reasonable wages ~ the "undis'
turbcd and uneomplieated' fashion
possible IN normal times. As soon as
business recovery drives out the "ab.
normalit.os" Of the period the board
declares il will be possible 70 give IN
creased consideration % All the intri-
cate details incident 10 the seientinc
adjustment Of tho living ara saving
wage"
The majority decision was signea ~
the public end railroad groups a dis-
senting opinion opposing any reduction
vas signed by Arthur o. wharton ana
Albert Phillips, labor members. W. L.
NcMenimen, the third LABOR memoei'
u absent from the city.
The dissenters declare cost OF liv-
ing ia brushed aside" by the majority,
which thus denies the validity Of
specific provision Of the railroad act.
A rejoindcr is being preporet by the
majority. Il is expected 70 be ready
for issuance late tomorrow
!. Minority Charges Answered
In to-days opinion the majority, re-
fcrring 10 the charges Of the minority
that the board has not given "full con-
sideration" 10 the evidence, saysi such
utterances evince merely a spasmodic
relapse into the old system OF bluff and
bluster that entered so largely into tho
adjustment Of railway labor disputes
before adjudication supplanted force"
Keeping the pay Of the train dis
patchers intact, the board says, is due
70 the nature and responsibility Of the
work. The same holds true Of the
supervisory forces Of tAe signal de-
pGrtment. The case OF the telegraph
ers is not touched upon. due 10 com.
plsx local situations prolonged discus
sion will be necessary.
The board says reductions for the
900, 900 in the clerical forces are lighter
than FOR some other classes because
this class lost heavily through changes
In rules and because they have not
been paid comparatively as well as
others.
"Patriotlc Common Sense"
CHICAGO. June ls (By The Assoei- :
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