Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-10-18
Effect OF Esch- Cun1noins Act
ShoUn On Big Rate Increases
On All Roads Into CHICAGO
Receipts of Railroads Are Up And
Wages Of Men Down
Written Specially for LEADER
By WILLIAM B SHEARER
Thru Autocaster Seruicel


(Note-This the second article OF :
series OF four, presenting accurate fig
llres on railroad passenger and freight
rate increases, 19l7-1921, under the
ksch-Cummins Act These stories by
William B. Shearer OF New York, keen
student OF finance and Transportation
have already aroused active opposition
to proposed Washington legislation
which was aiming at a Federal guar
antee OF g per cent interest on highly
inflated railroad investments.-Edito
***
THE people of the City of Chicago,
the greatest railroad center in the
world, are most dependent upon reas-
enable rates for transpor: ation. Sta
tlstics are therefore of the most vital
Importance to them, showing the effect
of the EschC ummins Act upon them,
and the 1913 per cent of our popula-
ton in favor OF seven-.enths of one
per cent of the population which owns
the railroads.
These rates in detail, shown below
tor the separate railroads, have not
Yet been made public for the year 1922
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, but the average increase per ton
per mile charged and obtained by the
railroads, in 1922 over 1917, was "a
per cent.
The average increase during the
same period for passenger transpor-
tatron per passenger per mile amount
ed to All per cent.
Something to Think About
In relation to the repeated state
mentS that high wages have forced up
passenger and freight rates, the fol-
lowing from the Railroad Telegrapher
makes interesting reading:
Here are some of the plain facts
that public should know:
increases in the passenger rates,
freight rates, Pullman rates and Pull
man Surcharge rates were granted to
the railroads by the Interstate Com
merce Commission and the increases
were put on the public, of which rail
road workers are a part. July l, 1921
the United States Railroad Labor
Board, Decision 147, reduced the
railroad employees wages II per cent.
Did the public get any part of this
reduction2 NO!
August 10, 1921, the United States
Railroad Labor Board, Decision 222,
reduced the shop craft employees in
further amount of 10 per cent Did
the public receive any part of this re-
duction? NO!
'July /, 1922, the United States
Railroad Labor Board. Decision 1886,
again reduced The shop craft employ
ess a further II per cent. A total re-
duction of "a per cent IN their wages
within enc year
Questions Unanswered
ASK Yourself and your associates
the following questions:
First Have the passenger rates
been reduced "a per cent?
Seoond-Have the freight rates been
reduced "a per cent?
Third-Have the high salaries of
the railroad officials been reduced "a
per cent?
Fourth-Has the price of rent been
reduced "a per cent?
Fifth-Have taxes been reduced "a
per cent?
Sixth Has street car fare been re-
duced "a per cent? n
Seventh-Has flour be& reduced "a
per cent?
Eighth-Has your electric light, gas
or coal or water bills been reduced
"a per cent?
Ninth-Did you ever read a decision
that the salary of the Railroad Labor
Board had been reduced "a per cent?
They only receive $4,000 year. Stop
and figure it out at $50 day, or Sc
per hour, and the railway employee
helps pay this board that cut the wages
of one class to % cents an hour.
"Do you know that II railroad pres
idents draw more salary than the pres
ident of the United States, total Of
$865,57106 an average of $7870l.97,
or $50 per hour, for IA hour day?
"Do you know that 48 other rail
road officials and attorneys draw sal
aries OF $1,586.15000 per year? And
do you know that the grand total of
these II railroad officials and attorn-
eys is $3,022,o01.60?
"Do YOU know that the shop craft