Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-30

lacking the theory of the living wage as a basis for determining wages of railroad workers. the public and rait road groups of the railway labor board ln an opinion made public tonight de- clarod such a course "f carried to us legitimate conclusion. would wreck ev- cry railroad In tho United States and # extended to other industries. would car ry them Into comnrunistic ruin.' The opinion. In the form of a reioiu- der to dissenting opinion filed ahy A. D. Wharton, labor member. In the re- cent decision. increasing tho way of maintenance of way employees two cents an hour declared if employees were granted 79 10 75 cents wage for com mon labor with corespondlrs dineren. uals for other classes an increase of teS.7 per cent In tho nations railroad Vasc bin would be necessary. This, the opln.on said. would add $S,l22,s6s,SS7 10 the annual payroll bringing 1t 10 s5,- SSs.4f5. .aas. which would mean, it ada cd an ann.-a! dchcit to tho carriers ot Seg4i ,s39.51S
 Ever s Inc IS cent minimum wasa requested by maintenance of way men were granted and corresponding dlffer- cntlals were made flor other classes oi employees tho orln'on said. an increase ot 5ot5 per cent In wages would be- necessary. adding Sl,s4o,390.9ef to the annual wage bin of the roads, bringing N up to Sa,7s5,ssA5io, thus forcing the carriers to face an annual deficit of sa7S.O7sis5,
 ''ff tho contentious were that th2 board should establish q living wage Tho majority would readily accede to Tho proposltlon,' Inc opinion raid. an ! az matter of fact tho board in this Instance az n an others has granted a living waEr "But tho abstract elusive thing called the living wage confess cdy based upon makeshift and 't rucss. cannot receive the sanction. 0: his board" the opinion stated. "he cause t would bo utterly impractical and would not be just and reasonabl-' az tbe law demands"
 Mr. wharton's dissenting orlnlon ana he supporting opinion In reply arc at ached to the formal decision ncrcasins Inc pay of maintenance Of way en. oloyas two cents an hour, establishing a minimum ranging from e5 to 37 cents Tho United Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employcs. Railway shop La bororF hold a strike order affcetinc iooooQ men Tn abctsncs last July af. ter tho board had reduced wages pead Ing a request for an increase based or tho contention that tho costs of livint had advanced and wages in other in dustrics had been raised
 When tle case came up mantenan, :, of way of'cl2ls asked the board to sus scribe to the principal of the 'livin. wage" baesd on budget ot what ws required for an average family of fiv persons to llve In health and reasonabl comfort A majority of the board re fused to subscribe to this principal
 The maintenance of way orgarizatio asked the board 10 establish minimum rates of pay of 4s cents an hour to re place rates then in effect ranging fror ss to 95 cents. After a deadlock c several days the board made public it decision formally handed down toda increasing rates of pay two cents a hour and adding about s2o,0ooOoo fhe railroad payroll.
 The decision asserted that the 1T crease was due mostly to the fact ths higher rates of wages were being pal for the same classes of work in oth; industries and that there had been n apprcciable Increase in the cost of 1i' ing.
 Mf Wharton in his. dissenting opir ion maintained that the "fundament- error" of the decision rested on faiIu; to Inquire into "the adequacy of rat of pay established for section men ar unskllled laborers." He asserted tn. rates of pay in other industries of sim lar character should be made a secon ary consideration and that the prir factor 10 be considered was wheth Inc rates fixed were just and reasonab which he said meant an adequate aI living wage under the transportatiS act
 The board he contended should fiji what should be just and reasonah wage by computing family budg hn nf kn tandily
 Attacking the budget method of d tsrmlning what should be living was he supporting opinion says:
 That it would be wise and practic 70 undertake to establish an arbitra Nandard of living for several miilio of persons Is not apparent"
 Adoption of a family of five with O wage earner as a basis for computing living wage also was attacked in t opinion which asserted that the Ia census showed there were A perso h the average family, but 1.4 depen ent children instead of the three tn the experts before the board took as basis and that there were 1.s6 wor CTS instead of one in the family.
 Commenting upon government ownt ship if the living wage principal we established the opinion said:
 -Of course, for those who desire SC crnment ownership this would be quick method of getting" it.. for it is sure thing that the public would I stand for the imposition of higl rates to pay such a deficit"
 -In the judgment of the majority the board" the opinion continued "a we believe, of a great majority of { people. the shopmen's strike was
 egregious blunder without any real j tifcation. and that it is said with kindliest feelings for the employees N have suffered most from it's effects. has wrought harm to all and good none"
 Perhaps there Is no better time g place. the opinion adds, Ito emphas lhe belief of a majority of the lal eoard that railway strikes are ute useless and wasteful, and that the ( pioyes will always gain better res, at the hands of any tribunal. fairly c stituted and representative of the p ple than they will by making war the carriers and the public"
 ln addition to fhc decision and
 dissenting and supporting opinions days document contained a statem by W. r. McMeninnen labor member the board as to his reason for vot for>tho two cent raise for the trackm Ee sad he favored larger incre