Show Rail Firemen Await Decision On Wages s CHICAGO C Nov 26 Wy Dy By The 5 Associated Press Thirty thousand firemen on western tern rail rail- railroads railroads roads await an nn arbitration board lon to see whether their pay paychecks paychecks checks ch will be Increased by 1 Jl a aday aday day After Arter the tho the 55 systems comprising the tho Association AN of Western RaIl Rall- RaIlroads roads had refused the request of or orthe the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and for the Increase the tho plea 1105 went to a federal arbitration board which completed a hearing In Chicago November ember 11 II A decision Is looked for November 28 when the board boar 1 reassembles at Denver Dener Both Doth sides aldes cited 1 changed eco ceo economic conditions in lii presenting their thell arguments The roads claim claim- claimed ed the tho firemen I were eero adequately paid and that the tho carriers were not notable notable notable able to add to their payrolls annu annu- annual annually al all ally the to to necessary to meet the increase asked ked Shrinking agricultural lI markets and rising overhead costa officials of the carrIers asserted n l have hate com coin combined comI I to nick maUf it II hib to keep klel I la III sc go e n ef stems earn earn- lug ing a fair return on the capital Investment A number of or firemen testified that promotion to engineer was eras slow and their wages insufficient to maintain the accepted standard of oC living They contended that heavier hellei hel lei engines made heavier trains and fewer of ot them reducing the tho number of engineers required and therefore the number of or possibilities I for promotion Donald II n. counsel for forthe the tho union statements of earnings antI a I Investments In submit submit- submitted ted to thu thy Interstate commerce commission by tho the roads road He lie de declared do- do dared clarell the final value alue placed on un the 55 is roads by the Interstate com com- nerce commission was wall some sonic 2 2 less than the value alue en en- entered entered by b the roads It was seas argued il Iy by y the carriers' carriers official officials that the west nest cannot bear Increased rail rail- rates rute which they said must inevitably Ine follow if the firemen ore are given shen more money mone The average yearly wage wale of fire fire- firemen firemen men on oil western lines was shown In figures submitted by the car car- carriers carriers rIces as 2200 of oC the fire fire- firemen men much tended to show their yearl earnings s to average len lera than han 2000 I |