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Show FliLf WEEDS Railroad Brotherhood Speaker Says That Amount Means "Decent Poverty" WASHINGTON. May S. A minimum mini-mum of $2,500 a year Is necessary for the support of an American faml-of faml-of five, W Jett Lauck, consulting economist for the railroad brotherhoods, brother-hoods, asserted today before tho railway rail-way labor board Mr lauck. who yes terday charged corporate profiteers with being 'chiefly responsible for present living costs, presented today a demand on behalf of tho 2,500,000 railway employes for tho establishment establish-ment of a minimum wage for tho Industry- He presented to the board a complation of budget on the cost of living based on studies made under his supervision and by federal and "stato agencies. ' Impossible Task "It is Impossible," he said, "Tor a family of five in tho United States to maintain Itself even In decont povorty under existing conditions for a penny less than 52,500 a year. He quoted the estimate made by Professor Royal S. Meeker, commissioner commis-sioner of labor statistics, In August 1919. The estlmato was ?2.262. The estimate for May, he Insisted, should bo $2,523. Mr. Lauck in his statement state-ment declared that tho fundamental cause of all economic instability, all industrial unrest, all Interruptions of production and distribution has been high prices and profiteering by organized organ-ized captlal and middlemen and retailers. re-tailers. Go Right Ahead In connection tho brotherhood spokesman requested that, the board curtail Its investigation of wa?es data arid proceed immediately to the determination de-termination of tho question of what constitutes a living wage. |