Grand Forks herald., 1922-06-17

~ AN4 ANN1AN
their pay envelopes. being cut only 2
cents an hour.
Oompaxed to Old scale.
Figures included in the decision
showed that clerks will receive, under
the new scale, an average Of 5S.5 cents
An hour, compared with 34.5 cents In
December. 1917, when the govern
ment took over the railroads. These
figures show 44.7 per cent increase
IN actual purchasing power. the de-
c'ston declared while the increased
hourly rate for siknalmen from 32.S
cents to s4.3 cents shows. increased
purchasing power OF ss7.2 per cent.
The hremen and oilers, according
to the boards fgures, receive the
greatest benefit under the decision
through their increase from al 8 ceets
an hour in 1917 to 4s.6 cents July i.
or s4.1 per cent increase in actual
purchasing power.
The decision pointed out that "it- is
generally conceded to be fairly plain
and certain that our country has en-
tered upon an era of gradually in
creasing business prosperity which
riers:" 90 ). +,
That the carriers shall have fair
opportunity to provide by, the revival
OF business in order that they may
expend their facilities is absolutely
indispensable to their efficient service
to the american public" -. the decision
said. Their unpreparedness4 now to
cope with any greatly increased traffic
Is not serious. Every facility of rail-
way transportation has been skimped
for the last several years. and as to
mileage. there has been an actual de-
crease instead of an increase. This
| is not an utopian conception in Amer
ica."
Dissenting Opinion.
The long dissenting opinion took
the majority to task for the cut and
declared there could be "no question
that very great pressure had sbeen
brought to hear on the board from
different sources, making it difficult
to consider the case on its merits" I"
The net effect was to read into the
transportation act new basis prob
| ably never contemplated" by the
trainers. the dissenters said.
Five reasons were named to cover
! the minority objections: That the
are not sufficient to justify the action
taken;" the reasons for the wage cut
go far belond the provision of the
transportation act; that the new
| wages do mot insure the continuance
of previous standards Of living" that
basing railroad wages on similar
wages in outside industries is not suf-
ficient reason for a reduction at pres
ent: and that the new wages ''con-
denim these railway workers to lives
of extreme poverty"
The labor members charged that
| the majority had taken over the typ
ical employers approach to the prob
lens of the working man."
In promulgating modified laissez
faire' policy, the majority returns to
the era when workers were unorgan-
lied and industry was in chaos" the
minority reports said. ID.
Budget Controversy.
| Taking up the family boudget con-
roversy: the labor members present.
| ed table showing that the new clerks
wage would be from 1857 to 1868 be-
low the $2,133 health and decency'
budget Of the United States depart
ments of labor. Common labor around
stations would miss the budget by
| $1,1s7. the dissent said. The new
wages. it said, would reduce clerks to
standard II per cent below that Of
1914.
Considerable argument was pre-
sented to show that no evidence had
were paid more than in other indus
try.
The labor members estimated that
the $4,000 men covered by today's
decision had lost $133,e5s.875 through
wage reductions, losses from changes
| in rules and on account of the reduc-
ton Of forces in the last year.
This statement must not be mis-
construed to mean that the employees
should be called upon to bear. the
| cost of railway rehabilitation, inn
proved service and reduced rates. It
simply means that it is only patriotic
common sense and justice that every
citizen, including the railway en-
ployes, should cooperate in a cor
dial spirit, should bear and forbear,
until the carriers are hack on their
feet. 1t will then be possible for the
railroad labor board to give increased
consideration to all thev intricate de-
tails incident to the scientific adjust
ment of the living and saving wage.
In this connection it. should be
said that the labor board has never
adopted the theory that human labor
is a commodity to- be bought and
sold Upon the market, and conse-
wages during periods of depression
and unemployment. On the other
hand, it is idle to contend that labor
can be completely freed from the eco
nomic laws which likewise affect the
earnings Of capital"
Rap Labor Leaders.
Taking a rap at labor leaders who
declared, after the last wage ;deci-
81 ons, that the board had disregarded
the employees living wage" argu-
ments. the decision said that when
the railway employees department
presents figures to show that the sum
Of S2,636.97 is necessary for the mini
mum comfort budget of the average
family, it has propounded IAN eco
nomic possibility"
.'It is stated upon authority that the
total income of the people of the
United States is now little more than
$40, 100000. II the. IS million
families were expending for living
costs the sum of $2.6 each, sit would
total $s5,000, ,0o0. 900 which would be
| SIS, ,0oo. 100000 in excess Of the coun-
try's total income.
''In the Settlement Of these ques-
tions it is the profound desire Of the
labor board to do justice to the par
ties directly concerned, placing the
human and Social consideration above
the purely economic, and finally to
establish wages and conditions that
will largely meet the hopes and aspir-