Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-10-30
RAIL LROAD LABOR
BOARD ATTACKS
THE THEORY Of
A LIVING WAGE
Such a Course, if Carried to
Its Legitimate Conclusion,
Would Wreck Every Rail-
road, Is Claim
Is REJ0INDER TO A
DISSENTING OPINION
If the Plan Should be Ex-
tended to Other Industries
1t Would Garry Them Into
ConnmuniStiC Ruin

Chicago, Oct. 20 (by the
Associated Press. Attack
ing the theory of "the living
wage" as a basis for determ-
ming the wages of railroad
workers, the public and rail
road groups of the United
States Railroad Labor board
in an opinion made public
tonight declared that such
a course "if carried to its
legitimate conclusion, would
wreck every railroad in the
United States and, if eX-
tended to other industries,
would carry them into COM
munistic ruin"
The opinion, in the form OF Il
rejoinder to a dissenting opinion
filed by A. o. Wharton, labor mem-
her in the recent decision increas-
ing the pay of maintenance of way
employees two cents an hour, de-
clared that if employees were grant
ed a 70 to rs cents minimum wage
for common labor, with cores
ponding differentials for other
classes, an increase Of 1851 per
cent in the nations railroad wage
I.st 10 otsNy TNInics fhn
opinion said, would add $3,112,-
952,3S7 to the annual pay rolls,
bringing it to $3.50, ,445,99S, which
would mean, it added, an annual
deficit, to the carriers of Seal
6S9,51S.
As Cent Minimum Wage.
Even the As cent minimum wage
requested by maintenance of way
workers were granted and corre-
spending differentials were made
for other classes of employees, the
opinion said, an increase of so, 40
ner cent In wages would be neces-
sary, adding Sf,Z49, ,y94 to the
annual wage bill of the roads,
bringing it up to $3,725, SS4, $40,
thus forcing the carriers to face
an annual deficit of $37S,07S, ,125.
The phrase ''living wage" was
termed In the opinion as "a bit
of mellifluous phraseology, well
calculated to deceive the unthink-
ing" ''lf the contentious were
that the board should establish a
living wage the majority would
readily accede to the proposition, .
the opinion said, land as matter
of fact, the board in this instance,
as in all others, has granted n liv-
ing wage. But the abstract elusive
thing called the living wage con-
fessedly based upon a makeshift
and q guess, cannot receive the
sanction of this board, because it
would be utterly impracticable and
would not be Just and reasonable
as the law demands"
Mr.. Wharton's dissenting opin-
ion and the supporting opinion in
reply are attached to the formal
decision increasing the pay of
maintenance of way employees two
cents an hour establishing minimi
ranging from % to 81 cents. The
United Brotherhood of Mainte-
nance of Way Employees and Rail-
way Shop Laborers held strike
order affecting 100000 men in
allegiance last July after the board
had reduced wages pending q re-
quest for an increase based on
the contention that the costs of
living had advanced and wages In
other industries had been raised.
'Just and Reasonable" Wage.
When the case came before the
board, the maintenance OF way Of
ficials asked the board to subscribe
to the principle of the Giving
wage based on a budget of what
was required for an average fam
lily of five persons to live in health
and reasonable comfort. A major
ity of the board refused to sub
scribe to this principle, asserting
that the transportation act called
for establishing a "just and reason
BILE" wage anG that just and reas-
enable wage was in effect a living
wage.
The maintenance of way organi-
zation asked the board to estab-
lish minimum rates of pay Of AS
cents an hour to replace rates then
in effect ranging from 23 to 35
cents. After q deadlock lasting
several days the board made pub
lie its decision formally handed
down today, increasing rates of pay
two cents an hour and adding
about $20,O00,0O0 to the railroad
pay, roll.
The decision asserted that the
increase was due mostly to the fact
that higher rates OF wages were
being paid for the same classes of
work in other industries and that