| Show nAil SAY Af RENT NT Hn HITS HOl IN rAJ ly t r fr J 4 Brotherhood Official Gives 1 F Figures ures Showing g Present I Prices Price's High s 4 O May High 6 6 High rents i. i h were described l as digging big bigIn bigli I li 1 B In the pay of ot railroad were said to help help- make it I for jor many many of of the workers to make ends enda meet at present rates rate of Were re cited b by representatives es of I 1 Ig g Four railroad brotherhoods r the railroad labor board today lying yank to the request of oC the roads cUon of wag wages s They contends contends' contend- contend byes loyes' s' s pay should be increased than decreased G O a Lee president of the Brother- Brother of Railroad Trainmen presented q figures gures from a a. number of cities titles Omaha maha Neb he said trainmen paid 20 a month rent in 1916 1316 now to 14 86 35 Others who paid 35 in 1919 paid 75 and fuel ruel which cost costin 10 in 1918 1818 coat cost 14 1450 50 In 1920 ho he D D VIES ES ACCUSATION t. t rge of a financial combine ong New York banks and the tho steel x railroad industries TV were ere declared nt mt and immaterial to the wage wag q on Ion case by E E. II Sennett gener- gener for the Pennsylvania rail rail- id In replying to tho the ree re tt of alleged mismanagement the charges as asater 7 ater over the dam Mr Ir e no answer to their contentions t the financial combine had de- de bf ted labor He declared that the cm- cm k te ea had failed to show any injury resulted from the transactions betSi be bc- tSi n the railroads and corporations It h had interlocking directorates f s Such ich uch transactions are now governed s the She e Clayton act he said so all alt t charges are water vater over the dam OW W REGULATED Many limy y of these thee carriers have b been n with improper financial trans- trans Oils though long prior to the past pas pas- t je a Of or the transportation act such actions have been in most cases fully scrutinized b by the public sere ser- ser e commissions of several cities i en n if there had been Improper fir fl- fl cial transactions claimed as a r of such financial trans- trans r k now would he be Im impossible he- he cause cautle the interstate commerce comm commission commission commission com com- mission now regulates such matters At all events ent railroad capitalization tion h. h has no effect whatever on railroad wages or rate rates If It any tran transactions havo have proved unjustifiable In the tho past the bad results have been borne by the investors and not by the tho or public Wages have been determined and will hereafter bo he determined Irrespective Irrespective Irre irre- of any railroads railroad's capitalization tion i ASSETS IN EXCESS Mr decle d rfd d that tha t the right sight of the railroads to ap apply surplus earnings earn earn- earn earnings rn- rn In ings s to property property- Improvements and subsequently capitalize them was a 0 method universally approved and I had been largely responsible for the efficient transportation system this country now enjoys lie added that I the valuations of the interstate comI commerce commerce com com- m merce commission even eyen now ow prove I that the value of ot the railroads railroad's ass assets tt far exceeds capitalization These replies were made In answer to charges that earnings turned back into the property should have gone to the In increased wages or to the public in lower rates Speaking in behalf of the Eastern roads John G G. Walber Valber secretary of the tho roads' roads bureau of information declared that the tho Voluminous exhibits offered b bj by the were entirely irrelevant irrelevant irrelevant vant to the wage Issue and that the economies suggested by W W. Jett Lauck economist for the unions were fallacious theoretical and visionary EXHIBITS MISLEAD Alleged possible economies amountIng amountIng amounting amount- amount Ing to 2 through the tho use uso of mechanical appliances and revampIng revampIng revamping revamp revamp- I ing of equipment were vere declared not to tobe be bS bl original suggestions From reading these exhibits one I might get git the impression that the American railroads are antiquated and i I inefficiently managed Mr Walber alber i isaid i said We deny thees thess presumptions and point with pride to the tho records oil ot or I performance cost of operation and service service ser ser- ser ser-I i vice rendered the public which are acknowledged as being superior to any railroad service in the world I An analysis analysts was made of the economics economies mies mios mentioned and in conclusion Mr Walber alber said We Ve have ha not attempted to analyze I in great detail each of the elements oft elements of 01 saving presented by the labor representative representatives but wo vo have studied I these exhibits from the standpoint of their relevancy to the present case and it Is our belief that none of them come within the purview of the elements set I forth in section of the transportation tion ao not t |
