The Winslow mail., 1925-12-11
IN
WAGE SCALE
IS WARRANTED
BY CONDITIONS

The demands of the railroad
brotherhoods for an increased wage
scale superceding the present con-
tract, which expires in March, 1926.
have been compiled by the commit
tee which met in Chicago last week.
The terms of the new scale will be
forwarded to the grand lodge of the
brotherhoods and elaborated before
presentation to the railroads.
G. W. Nelson, Of Winslow, secre-
tary of the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen, who left today for Wash
ington, on legislative matters, this
week gave an interview to The Mail
on the new wage demand. Mr.. Mel
son said:
"The wage increases asked by the
conductors and brakemen have
again brought them in the lime
light. Everyone seems interested.
The shipper seems fearful of rate
increases if the demands are met.
The employe is doubtful if the de-
mands will be met in full. The
public, which will help pay the bill,
looks on with apathy The people
should be interested, but are they?
"If they were really interested
it seems to me that they would
analyze the conditions affecting the
railroads, and thus be better able
to judge if the demands of the men
are unreasonable or unjust; if the
freight rates are reasonable or
just; whether they should be de-
creased or increased; whether or
not they are getting full measure
of service of money expended for
transportation.
How are they going to know
whether they are getting their
moneys worth or not? They must
compare and make certain deduc-
tions in order fully to understand.
The majority seem to indulge in
criticism, apparently for the sake
of being critical, rarely offering
anything constructive. 1t is my be-
lief that the railroads would not
hesitate in paying better wages, but
with constant rate reductions star
legislation, truck competition and
proportionately higher taxes, l be-
lieve their lot is not an easy one,
and the demands present a real
problem to them.
81 am firmly convinced that the
man in transportation is entitled to
better pay. Officials, too, | believe,
feel that way. The railroad man is
not only engaged in a hazardous
occupation, but is engaged in
Americas most essential industry.
He is the most important man in
industry Our business structure
rests upon production, distribution
and transportation. Production is
itself wasted energy and useless ef-
fort if distribution can not be af-
fected, and distribution is impoS-
sible without transportation.
1--WE did not have the first rail-
roads, but today we boast of the
finest system in the world. The
man engaged in transportation
comes in for his share of praise
in this achievement Through his
efforts we have built fine railroads.
He was, and is yet, big factor
in the transportation machine. He
has had to fight from the very be-
ginning to gain what he has. II
was through his indominable spirit
that the railroads of today owe
their present efficiency. Of, course
he has enjoyed wise and efficient
leadership.
''It has been my good fortune to
have seen and worked on Euro
pean systems in peace and war
time and nearly every soldier Will
testify that over there, they still
have their scenic railway" equip
ment. For decades they have stood
still. They have no automatic
couplers, no big cars, or engines.
"Dr. Paul Good tells us that two
men on a modern locomotive will
do the work of million coolies,
and the end is not yet. The rail-
road mans duty is a double one.
Not only does he guard million
dollar train while in his charge,
but he transports it at high rates
of speed He is also working un-
der the most flexible and compli-
Gated system known, holidays and
Sundays. Every hour of day or
night he must be ready. Bitter
cold, blistering sun, hold no terrors
for him. He goes when he is call
ed
"He is also a good citizen, tax
ing an active interest in civic af-
fairs, and Is entitled to the consid-
Grafton he asks, but the question
is: Can the railroads meet these
demands, if they are confronted
with further reductions?
Hon. S. T. Bledsoe, general
counsel for the Santa Fe, speaking
before a meeting of employees at
Fort Worth, March 25, 1925, said:
The percentage of increase in com
pensation of railroad employees has
exceeded the increase in the cost
of living, but this does not mean
that increases in compensation now
paid are excessive. Those familiar
with the wage scales of railroad
companies in 1913 appreciate the
fact that the compensation of some
employes was then lower than 1t