Arizona republican., 1922-05-30
.GOMPERs MAKES
BITTER At I ACk
ON LABOR BOARD

WASHINGTON, May 29-Attack-
ing in caustic terms the decision of
the railroad labor board with respect
to wages of maintenance of way en-
ployes, Samuel Gompers, president of
the American Federation of Labor,
declared today it was "a most unjust
and inequitable proceeding
Mr.. Gompers in a formal states
ment said:
"The decision Of the railroad Ia
Dor board in the case of the mainte-
nance of way employees is a most un-
just and inequitable proceeding, .
said President Gompers. THE mi
nority decision which says that the
new wage will not allow the father
of a family to purchase as much food
as is allowed an inmate of the Cook
county Jail laves little to be said in
characterization Of the action of the
majority.
''The railroad workers waited un-
til July 90, 1921, for an increase in
wages. During the four years pre-
ceding the cost of living had been
rising steadily.
1.-THE railroad workers had been
compelled to hear this increased cost
without any compensating wage in
crease. 1t is proposed now to put
wages back where they were before
the increase of 1920.
.No one will contend that it costs
less to I've now than in 1920. The
fact is there has been almost no ap-
preciable change in the cost of living
so far as the average family is con-
cerned. Prices of day to day require
ments are about as high as ever.
Some prices are higher than ever.
Rent. the largest single item for ev-
cry family, remains as high as ever
and in most cases is higher.
1T is announced that the reduc-
tion just ordered amounts to 1872
per cent. My calculation shows that
the wage Of the lowest paid. those
getting 2S cents an hour, are to be
reduced IT'S per cent, or down to %
cents an hour. Those least able to
stand the loss are hit hardest.
"The decision penalties the work
ers and helps the railroads. 1t is an
other illustration of the unfitness of
the railroad labor board.
"Whatever pretense of fairness the
majority may seek to throw aroupd
it's decision will be of no value to
those who are to suffer the reduc-
tion in wages, nor will 1t convince
workers anywhere of the desirable
ity of such tribunals.
"The decision comes to the work
ers on Monday morning; Monday
morning is getting to be the regular
time for delivering such messages to
the workers from courts and boards.
isn't it possible that curious
public may be inclined to question
whether there is not some connection
between the grace and good nature
with which the railroads accepted the
recent order for freight reduction
and the present order for this addi-
tional reduction in the wages of a
large group of railroad workers?
Railroads are not noted for easy
acceptance of reductions in their in
come. When the interstate COM
merce commission last week ordered
the reduction of freight rates the
railroads We're almost cheerful about
it. Last THU sday they called at the
White House and ramarked upon
leaving that they had had a pleasant
time. Now comes the reduction with
the indication of more wage reduc
tons to follow
Perhaps the public may remem-
Der that in it's recent freight rate
reduction decision the interstate
commerce commission cut the rate of
reasonable returns from 6 per cent
down to So per cent. The wage re-
duction now ordered just about equals
the miss ng quarter of / per cent al
lowed in return on railroad invest
ments. The stockholders and the
workers have been weighed in the
balance and the stockholders win"