Evening star., 1933-09-03
RAILROADS ASKED
T0H|RE MORE MEN
Eastman Calls on All Lines to
Do Their Part in RecoV.
cry Drive.
By the Associated PreSs

By the Associated Press.
The big and little railroads Of the
country yesterday were requested d.
rectly by the administration to put
steam behind the national recovery
drive by spending every available dol
lar to give more men work
Joseph B. Eastman, Federal co-ordi-
nator Of transportation. dispatched this
call to the presidents of all rail carriers
in lengthy brief simultaneously, he
asked each to report the extent of COM
pliance with his suggestions"
Reiterating his statement of yester-
day that railroads should not legally or
as matter OF policy come within the
wing spread of the Blue Eagle. Eastman
asserted this made it all the more i'm
portant that the carriers play their
proper part in the program Of national
recovery
Makes Six Suggestions.
The co-ordinator laid down six major
suggestions. In general, they recon-
mended increasing employment through
catching up on deferred maintenance.
shortening hours to spread work and
without disturbing existing agreements.
Duplicate copies were sent to the ex-
ocutlyeS Of all standard railroad labor
organizations. with the added suggestion
that the desired ends could be reached
only by mutual agreements.
1 suggest, however" Eastman said.
that the arrangements take the initia-
tive and invite the employees. through
tnelr system representatives. to confer
with them as soon as possible for the
purpose OF arriving at such agreements.
1t is not suggested that any voun-
tary agreement so negotiated be for a
period longer than the prevailing un-
employment emergency Nor is it sug-
gested that any class or craft of en-
ployes in any instance increase hours,
DAYS. or weeks worked. Or the monthly
mileages. above those now in effect by
mutual agreement"
Deferred Maintenance Stressed.
The co-ordinator suggested first that
the carriers get at deferred mainte-
nance and other work which sorely needs
to be done" not only as a help to the
country but as the soundest of econ
omy"
Eastman pointed out TO the rail presi-
dents that money could be borrowed
''on favorable terms from the Public
Works Administration for equipment
and maintenance but added that no
carrier had availed itself of this oppor-
tunity.
Such expenditures are needed" he
said. and they would strengthen the
recovery program at an important
point. The railroads will not play their
proper part if they neglect these op-
portunities.
Cut in Overtime Suggested.
The co-ordinator summarized his
next four suggestions in effect as
follows:
That no employe be permitted to
work every day in the week. and that
where continuous service requirements
made this impractica BILE. the employe
work certain number of days month
and then take longer holiday:
That every effort be made to reduce
overtime. and that. for example. where
overtime for yard crew was usual an
additional crew and engine be en-
ployed;
That every effort be made to estab-
Ish IN fact an eight-hour day. at least,
whether for hourly employees or those
in supervisory capacity;
That minimum mileages be specified
for train and engine employees. and that
nlgh mileage totals be reduced where
possible.
Finally. Eastman said some railroad
employees whose wages were not estab-
llshed by agreements with labor organi-
ZationS we're receiving compensation
below the weekly minimums for analo-
gous work by codes of competition
under the N. R A.
Il suggest" he said. that this Is
situation to which the railroads may
well give attention.