The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-07-18
STATEMENT OF
REPRESENTATIVE.
OF RAIL HEADS
Says Rail Heads Are Not Trying
To Break Down the
Unions

Spokane, Wash, July 1S.-Manv
persons suppose that the railroads
were turned back to their owners
and managers in 1920, but this is
! only one of the half truths that will
not bear investigation declared
/ Charles Dillon. assistant to the chair
man OF the western committee on
public relations of the Association of
Railway Executives, in an address be
fore the Chamber of Commerce here
today.
Mr. Dillon also asserted that moth
ing could be further from the truth
than the impression that the railways
are trying to break down the unions,
and that they are eager to reduce
the mems wages"
The truth is we have about all
the government i'll railroads right now
that the business will stand 1t is
the government which says what the
rates are to be and how much the
roads may be permitted earn if
they can do it; it is the government
which controls wages and il controls
the conditions under which the men
should work
"All the reports are made and the
bookkeeping of the railroad is done
according to rules of the United States
| government through the Interstate
Commerce Commission and upon
forms prescribed by that commission.
There is scarcely any sign OF manage
ment not directly under the scrutiny
OF the government at Washington OF
Chicago.
We are now facing an entirely
new order, a new labor condition
When the United States Railroad La
Dor Board made the largest advance
in wages ever recorded, amounting in
deed, to- more than 1920, 200, 900 a
year. the railroads accepted the de-
cision without resistance. The men
at that time dd not question the juris-
diction Of the board in making this
enormous advance.
The railroads promised, last fall,
TO pass on to the public in reduced
rates any savings in operating ex-
penses resulting from wage cuts. Rate
have been reduced since last January
$401 900 ,000-$265, 600, 900, approxim-
ately, more than wages have been
cut. based on the earnings in 1921, or
$500 100000 il we compare with 1920.
III total earnings do not increase
very materially, the rate reductions
and the recent wage cuts will allow
the railroads about 3 IL per cent
on their valuation. There is a differ
ence of about $443.O00, 900 between
this 3 1-2 per cent and the 3-4 per
cent which the Interstate Commerce
Commission says the roads may earn.
In the net return from your
ness were reduced as the net return
oil the roads has been you probably
would close it out.
Your business will prosper largely
according to the volume the roads
can handle properly. The whole pre-
sent controversy, therefore, becomes
as much your concern as it is the
concern OF the railroads. because un-
less investors are assured a reason
able reward new capital will not be
available-and without this ,it Will
not be possible to provide adequate
facilities.
'The tie that binds this people
together in national unity is the rail-
road tie and if it is not 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 said, will
be benefited by the recent rate re-
ductons only as these reductions, in
part, are reflected in lower prices
instead OF in increased profits.