Salt Lake Telegram | 1920-08-29 | Page 14 | Wage Earners Get Large Part of Rail Increases

WAGE AGE EARNERS GE GET LARGE PART OF RAIL INCREASES 1918 Computation Gives Cents to Wages Fuels Materials Pill PHILADELPHIA Aug 2 28 Cursor Cursory perusal of operating accounts or an any railroad will wi quickly correct tho mis conception held by some people that when rates are arc adjusted ted to mee meet ox ox- x- x costs cost taxes axes and wages the they Arc are a n gift Kift from tho the public wales of thousands I of or millions to the railroads Revenues from rate rat Increases do not nol tarr tarry long lone In treasuries of or the car car- but go 10 right back to the 00 wage waKe earner In some somo term torm or benefit cither benei directly aa as a wages wage or for purchase of or fuel and supplies or go o to to- pa pay pa tuxes I expended for or his Only a n rela thel small smal proportion of ut railway earnings Is Ia available A for tor distribution I I as ns dividends As worked out by Thompson distribution of or the railway dollar in Ir I 1918 was Labor per cent cont dolar fuel 1111 11 per peT cent material 1440 ItO per cent loss baa and damage per cent taxes 31 per cent Interest on funded and ant I debt 87 per cent rent ol of or r leased roads 59 per cen cent betterments per par cent available a for dividends dividend reserves and surplus surplus per cent I The Tho first charge by law cent and b by practice on all al earn earnings of or a railroad I Is 18 to meet wages of or an and l for tor purchase of materials In 1916 10 6 per cent of the railway dollar dolar went to tc labor X wo o years ear later labors labor's share than I had Increased to 54 cent On basis ol of r 1918 computation out of or e cry dollar r dolar earned by railroads they pay payout out 79 75 67 r cents In wages and for fuel and mate mate- rial This money goes to railroad I worker coal miner worker In Iron and an I steel seel plants in I car and engine build buld- buld ing InK plants and nd In the many industries I which supply mat materials to tho the coun try try's s foremost buyer Taxes are paid to federal government to states pad an and to 10 municipalities mounting to lo many millions In the aggregate On basis of or returns only cents out of every eVory dollar dolar was available for dividends and to build up reserves 5 and surplus to assure credit credi of or th the I 1 I carriers carrier Even on E with increased rates rAte 1 granted b by the commerce commission nearly all 11 the money paid In by th the I public goes back to it In wages pur chase of materials employment to tc I 0 others hers outside of the tho railroad service I who manufacture and ad supply these ma ma- and to pay taxes interest on or 1 funded dc debt t and rentals rentals The Tho most moat that can be expected b by r he the railroads under Increased rates rate S and under maximum business business' will be bi I a aery very ery moderate return to tho owners wJ and reestablishment of ot credit to justify P Investors In In furnishing additional cap furnishing cp- cp ital for iAl expansion of railroad property to render service to the public The Ti-n transportation act does doe not give ghe guarantee to the tho railroads but the they a must work to get the return of or 6 per per cent on property investment In al al low lowed d by the law Peron Persons Persona who use the railroads an and and I who p pay y Increased Increase rates may feel reel that thai t the mone money taken In by tho the railroad 0 will be well expended 1 wel and In a wa way a to develop lop the country countr and Increase I shore share Its Is prosperity In which h they have a a I. I