Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-07-01

higher rates. This is shown by the
fact that the average rate per hour IN
1927 cents.
GO, The 23-ccnt rate In found on q
comparatively smhll number OF
divisions on n few roads In tho south
md southwest. IL is not even found
on tho Southern and Illinois Central.
which cut comparatively through the
South.
"a Where this minimum rate is
found, the cost of living is usually low.
and the men In instances are
furnished free living quarters.
60 In 1915 this class OF labor re-
ceived an average hourly rate of Is
cents. and in 1917, an average hourly
rate of 1913 cents.
(6) The hourly rate OF this class Of
employees has therefore Increased UNI
der the present decision. 69.4 per cent
over 1917. and 118 per cent over 1915.
60 Based upon the cost OF living,
the purchasing power of the hourly
wage OF section men under the present
decision is 44.5 per cent greater than
Il was In 1917, and 37.3 per cent great
or han in 1915.
80 If 81 be said that the 10-hour
day prevailed in 1915, and the s-hour
day now. it may likewise be said that
the man either gets tho benefit Of the
extra two hours for his own purposes
or in many instances he will now be
permitted to work the W hours. since
punitive overtime has been abolished
for this class of employees for the ninth
and tenth hour.
(lt Exgor ny.raYfnv tl1 NrnrnwN .
hour wage with the l0-hour wage Of
1915. the purchasing power Of the new
wagc is 9S per cent greater than that
OF 1915, ana the man has. on top Of
this. the gift Of two hours time for
other activities.
G0) II must also DO clearly under
stood that the 23-cent rate Will exist
only In n territory where the Railroad
Administration, after careful investi-
cation, found a justification for and
: did establish n lesser rate than paid
tho same classes In the balance Of the
T country, which condition has not been
disturbed by decision Of this board.
. In view Of these facts, not ono Of
which you a yourself dispute. there
Is no ground for tho fierce assaults
'EN'Ff Wv nm hlNIl ~ o~~ADAA Va
, tho board in his matter.
, For your Information, I will say that
/ recently made some limited investi-
CATION. personally and on the ground,
tof the wages Of common labor 10 one
= southern state. and I found the new
r rate for section men approciably high
p er h the rates being paid to similar
! labor in other employments.
: II may also be noted just here that
the average pay Of section foremen
- under the new decision Is 1871 per
cent higher han It was in 1915. and
that the purchasing power # the sec
- ton foreman's wage is 1873 per cent
: greater than IL was in 1918. His
average bourly rate in 1915 was 23.3
q cents. and under the new decision 4,
6 is 5I.2 cents.
o You do not enter into n discussion
OF the wages fixed by the board for
other classes Of employees. but I re-
y i~lterate here the statement demonstrate
/, cd in tho decisions OF the board that
r the purchasing power Of these rates
n Is very considerably larger n Il
r was In 1917. just before Federal con-
70 troll. or h a It was in the year you
prefer to use as 4 base, 1915.
Surely tho leaders Of these railway
labor organizations can not expect q
q win the approval OF the people Of the
n United States by a rigid. unyfelding
a resistance 10 the inevitable process
OF readJustrnent which has been ir
progress for the past year. II the pub
lie Is satisfied that the railway en-.
DlnNcG haEya kann a,.n- 49,
fairly dealt with by comparison witt
n similar labor and in view Of the con.
W ditions surrounding their work, Their,
will be no demand that they shall b.
e treated as absolutely immune from
:. the operation OF the economic pro
~ cess through which everybody els.
must pass,
The fact can not be overlooked tina
the policy Ct the leaders of the EN-
" p!oyes seem TO be to accept no reduc
ton, however slight. For example.
"a strike vote is being submitted to IN
stationary engineers. firemen an,
"A oilers, whose wage under the new de
cision shows an enormous increas
over the compensation they receive
~ before the war. Notwithstanding IN
IN increased cost of living. the !ncreas
in the pay CT these employees has bee
in so great as TO result in the folIowin
H. percentages Of increase in the purchas
ing W OF their wages under III
present decision over 1915:
H. Stationary engineers. ......... 70.0t
IA Stationary Aremen............ 42Ie
Engine room oilers. ........... 421e
on Boiler room water tenders. ESQ
n Coal passers (bo!ier room). go. 25.9c
The increase of their actua! dali
I'd wage under the new decision ovt
1871 1915 ranges from 100 per cent to I69
ISL per e And yet there Is submitte
Of to them a strike ballot.
a 1t IS scarcely worth while to mutt
Die ply these examples Of the real meanin
nd and effect OF the boards decisions
.ct which, you complain.
es Let me say. before concluding. the
W the members Of your organizatic
on have no occasion to reflect upon the
ais Official representatives IN c~onnectio
ms. with the conduct Of these wage di!
he putes before U board. The employ,
have been ably and Loyalty represente
,e- and. in my humble judgment, have s,
M cured esults that should be satisfa,
WIS tory 10 them. With the degree
of friendly interest that ] feel in the
il organizations and with the recognize
his that accord TO thelr great servi'
Xxi. to their membership. l am hopef
&C. that they viii not adopt a course tn
will surely prove disastrous 70 u