Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-21
RAIL WAGE REDUCTION URGED
BY TRANSPORTATION EXPERT
Prof. Ripley Declares Revision of Pay
Scales Necessary to Enable Carriers to
Meet Financial Emergencies.
Special Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, November 30.-Raflway
wages must be reduced Immediately to
enable the carriers to meet their imam
ciaI emergencies. william Zehtna Rip
ley. Harvard professor Of transportation
and former member Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission. asserts In an
article which the magazine Wor16S
Work viii publish In its December issue.
Prof. Ripley, who helped to establish
the efght-hour day for tTainmen. calls
for q fairer distribution Of wages among
rail employees, rather than . horizontal
reduction Of the scale.
Giving for the first time his consid-
cred opinion OF the !. C. C.. revenue
pooling plan, the Harvard tr3nspoKta-
tion expert declares that even with AL
possible economies and with such in
creases Of revenue rs the commission
has seen at to grant, further s1bstan-
tial aid must somewhere he had" II
railroad treasures are to Withstand the
present strain. The greatest operating
economy possible lies in wages, Prof.
Ripley continues. but on this subject
mo one dares q whisper except behind
closed doors"
Question Declared Grave.
"Shall railroad pay remain. I'M
touched as q butte on the economic
|landscape?'' Prof. Ripley asks. "a
question Of the utmost gravity, it Is
peculiarly significant because these car
riers are the largest single purchasers
Of goods In the country. The release Of
more in itself than almost anything
else to start the wheels of prosperity
going. To is more than matter ger
name to the railroads themselves; 1t be-
comes a matter Of prime national i'm
portance."
Attributing high character and intel
ligence to the body Of rail workers, Prof.
Ripley nevertheless warns that public
opinion will not tolerate an exception
solely in their favor" To effect before
it is too late the needed revision Of
wages and working rules offers the
brotherhood leaders q rare opportunity
for economic craftsmanship" the rail-
road critic points out 'I have faith to
believe" he declares, "that these men
will be found ultimately responsive to
suggestions for cutting corners and
shipping administrative red tape. There
Is no time to waste upon protFacted
formalities.
"One cannot but hope for readjust-
ment mot horizontal reduction) not
only to bring the wage scale into line
with the cost of living but also to work
out a more equitable distribution As
among the men themselves. There are
too many exceptionally good runs,
which, as Q local chairman recently
described to me, 1t takes whiskerS to
get Here is a wonderful opportunity
for economic craftsmanship presenting
itself to the leaders of this great army
Of railroad employees. These chiefs,
and the rank and file, too, well know
how acute Is the competition from all
sides threatening the vitality of the
industry from which they draw their
livelihood. An alienation, to be worth
while, should be immediate: not final
necessarily, but 1t should take effect
without delay"
Inadequacy Of Income.
Discussing the present inadequacy
of rail income, Prof. Ripley halls the
l. c. C. emergency rate decision as "a
great state document, wise and far-see-
ing in detail" The next logical, almost
unacceptable, step in Government Tegu-
lation Of the railroads is forecast by
the Harvard expert.
"In this instant crisis" Prof. Ripley
writes. the embarrassed roads are to
be carried on the shoulders of the strong
companies through the pooling provi-