The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-07
WAGES OF RAIL
men ARE SHOWN
HIGH BY SURVEY
Figures Are Presented BY Compan-
les Before Federal Labor
Board.

Chicago, March THE men en-
gagged in work comparable to that
done On railroads, employed in s.
327 industries in % of the western
statement read today by J. W. Hig-
lower than those paid to employees
or the railroads, according to a
statement read today by J. w. Hug
gins, executive secretary of the
Association of Western Railways.
before the United States railroad
labor board at its hearing concern
ing wage disputes between the men
and the roads.
Mr.. Higgins represented 101
western railroads. Other railways
in the western states operating un-
der different conditions and cir
cumstances announced an intention
OF making separate statements to
the board.
According to the statement, pre-
pared after an active survey of the
318,S95 employees of all classes
studied in other industries, PAT ,S66,
or 1913 per cent, were getting
wages in December, 1921, lower
than those paid by railroads for
similar services. The statement
said that in Arkansas. Arizona,
Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi
and Tennessee more than 80 per
cent of employees in other indus
tries are paid less than railroad
wages.
In California, Minnesota. Nebras-
ka, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin, &C
cording to the statement, from so
to 80 per cent are paid less than
the railroads pay. In Colorado, IL
linois, Missouri, New Mexico and
Washington 20 to so per cent are
paid less than the railroads pay. In
Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota
and Oklahoma from 60 to 20 per
cent receive lower wages than the
railroads pay, while in South Da-
kota SIS per cent are being paid
less.
There are only four states in the
west = Montana, Nevada, Oregon
and wyoming less than so
per cent of the employees receive
lower wages than that paid by the
railroads, the statement said.
Discrepancies were also found
in outside industries in principal
cities" Mr.. Higgins told the board.
In Butte, Mont, common labor re
ceives 81 to so cents an hour. In
Chicago and Omaha wages for com
mon labor run from % TO 35 cents
an hour. Kansas City pays 81 to 40
cents and st. Louis from q to 40
cents. In Little Rock, Ark. and
Memphis, common labor gets II to
20 cents an hour and in New Or
leans from II to 25 cents an hour.
In San Antonio the rate is from 81
to 80 cents: Dallas and FL Paso. Is
to 25 cents; Fort Worth and Gal
weston. % to 80 cents, while in the
mountain region it runs from So to
40 cents in Denver and Al to As
cents in Salt Lake City"
Mr.. Higgins said that while the
roads wish the wages paid to be
fair and adequate, it was not be-
lieved that the transportation act
intended fat rate to prevail
throughout the country. and the
difference paid to common labor
in principal cities of the west
shows that wages for metal crafts
vary as to locations. He also stat
ed that S9.5 per cent of the men in
the metal crafts in other indus
tries receive lower wages than men
doing the same work for railroads.
Specific instances given brought
out that the majority of these men
receive from Al to 65 cents an hour.
whereas the railroads for the same
work pay the maximum wages for
a mechanic, which are much high