The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1922-08-02

about, anyway" asks the man
in the street. II cant make head
or tail OF il. "
A brief revins OF an important
chapter in labor history unfnlded
in the last two years will help to
an understanding OF the strike.
Go back to the spring of 1870,
when the transportation act was
passed by congress In the r'os
OF criticism over trems by which
the government returned the rail-
roads to their private owners this
short section was generally over
looked.
''Ssc. So7 (d) -. In de-
tsrmining the justness and rea-
souablsness Of such wages end
salaries or working conditions
the (railroad labor) board shall,
20 far a. applicable take into
consideration, among cths reie-
want circumstances:
"(1) The scale Of wages paid
for similar kinds Of work IN
other industries:
"f2l The relation between
wares and the cost Of living:
"(S) The hazards Of the en-
ployment; ,..
"(l) The training and slill
"(b) Tho degree Of rssp0n
sibility;
"(6) Tho character and reg
ularity Of the employment; and
"(7) Inequalities Of increase
In wages or Of treatment, the re-
suit Of previous wage orders O
adjustments. :
The railway shop workers, ou'
on strike now. claim that ths
railroad labor board, in its dc
cision reducing their wages from
JUN ! on, violated or ignored
more than half of the foregoin.
seven principles Of Just wages
as laid down by congress.
This is the second railroad y
Dor board decision affecting tn
railway shop crafts. The first
rendered in May, 1920. raise'
their wages. Naturally, they di,
not object to that decree, whicl
the railroads accepted withon
serious protest.
The 1920 activities Of the labo
board boosted wages all alonI
the line. II began with I'd
maintenance OF way workers
who are largely unskilled, an
who, therefore, receive the loves
or the "basic wage as it
known. Since the element Q
skill does not enter in this tieit
the whole fight is to secure 70
the maintenance of way man SUI
ficient wages to support him an
his family on IAN America
standard Of living"
A step higher is the sho
crafts man. His training an
skill must be greater, and III
responsibilities h, assumes NJ
more important. Thus precedel
in the railroad industry built Y
certain, diffcrential in wage
in his behalf.
These the labor board III
recognized. 1t agrees that q
skilled shop worker is rntitIe
10 a "basic wage" plus a pc
centage more as a rewar for SKI
and experience. Beyond The she
crafts are the brotherhood
whose men assume still great'
responsibilities and are ST.
more skilled. and therefore O.
considered entitled to still grca
er remuneration.
Wage Increase Of 1920
In 1920 the railroad labs
board raised railroad men
wages all along the line, large
because Of the abnormal increa'
in the cost Of living. AT q
same time, however, wages nt
increased in other industr.'
which attracted laborers sinil'
TO those working for railroads.
Now. in 1922, when It -four
the cost of living coming dow y,
accordingly to its statistics, Y
railroad labor board inaugnrat'
general reduction OF wages, 7
fecting first, the maintenance
way men, and then the sn'
crafts workers and the fre's
handlers. >,
Say Living Cost Remaining y
In the labor board majorI
decision these points were cit
n justification Of the reductlo
/: The cost Of living has cor
down. ..