Evening Star Newspaper, July 29, 1931, Page 5

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY. JULY 29, 1931 LABOR HEADS WARN “AGAINST PAY GUTS Rail Brotherhoods’ Officials| Non-Committal on 15 Per Cent Rate Boost. Representatives of organized railroad labor today w-re concluding here a three-day session devoted to discussion of their several problems out of which developed late yesterday a non-com- mittal declaration on the 15 per cent freight rate increase sought by the lines coupled with direct warning against any wage cut aad threat of resistance. An expression on the four-system merger plan by the Eastern lines was in prospect today, as was a statement on the six-hour day or five-day week that the brotherhoods are agitating. Deliberate Two Days. The statement treating h rates and wages was made public after two days of deliberation by the officials of 21 unions, who are holding their sessions in the offices of the publication “Labor” and deprecated the injection of the wage issue into the Inferstate Commerce Commission hearing on the proposed rate boost. “The petition of the railroads for a 15 per cent rate increase should be con- n its merits,” the statement said. he commission will not lack information, advice and assistance in determining whether railroad revenues can be, and ought to be, increased through freight rates. ‘We are in favor of increase in in- stances where the facts disclose that such increases are justifiable.” The railroads seek a blanket increase. ‘The labor leaders explained that the pay issue had been brought into the rate question by the railroads’ petition for the increase, and through objections to the proposed rate raise on the ground that wages should be cut. ‘Wage Question Foreseen. At the time the railrods filed their petition, it waz said that the question might be raised as to the reasonable- ness of rail wages, but that it was not being done at present, both because of the time that would necessarily consumed on any wage negotiations, | and for the added reason that the policy of the Government and indus- | is that a revival of business is| try predicated upon maintenance of exist- ing wage scales. At the Interstate Commerce Commis- slon hearing, the matter came up when . A. Scandrett, president of the Chicago, Minneapolis & St. Paul, was guesunnrd by an attorney as to whether e thought wages were too high. Commissioner Meyer interrupted to eay that “we shall have to deal with ‘wages as they stand,” adding that this question must come up before another authority—the Board of Mediation. Text of Statement. The text of the brotherhood state- ment follows: “The petition of the railroads for a 15 per cent rate increase (which was filed with the Interstate Commerce | Commission on June 17) should be | considered on its merits. There is a law governing the duties of the Inter- state Commerce Commission and pro- viding the standards for reasonable rates. “If under the law the railroads are entitled to earn more money and a freight rate increase will produce additional revenues, the railroads can properly appeal to the Interstate Com- merce Commission for relief. The commission is a well informed, public- spirited body, possessing the ability and authority to fix just rates. The com- mission will not ‘lack information, ad- vice and assistance in determining whether railroad revenues can be, and ought to be, increased through increased freight rates. ‘We are in favor of increases in in-| ances where the facts disclose that such increases are justifiable. Unfortunately the question of the' reasonableness of railway wages has been injected into the pending proceed- ings, first through its discussion in the railroad petition, and then through ob- Jections to the rate increase offered by various protestants claiming that in- stead of increasing freight rates the :huc his wages will not purchase any: thing like twice as m|_l;:r)‘\ of other serv- ices d rn)dllc . e t is the cost of labor to the railroads is less for service rendered than ever before in history. “Between 1923 and 1929 the revenues of the railways per employe increased over $400,-and the compensation paid increased less than $100, leaving a net gain to the owners of $300 per em- ploye. This gave the owners approxi- mately $400,000,000 a year ditional profit made out of the employes, or enough to pay 6 per cent interest on $8,333,000,000 of additional investment. ‘The raflroads reported an increased investment in this same period of only $4,093,000,000. Thus it is proved that the roads were getting out of increased labor efficiency in 1929 an increased annual profit of over $250,000,000 in ex- cess of & fair return on their additional investmenit. Wages could have been increased!, but there is no justification for reducing wages when every employe is producing a larger profit for the employer than ever before. “We have no desire to prejudge the issues of the pending rate case. “Every one must recognize that rail- way labor has a direct interest in i increasing the traffic and the revenues of the railways, but we deny that there is any justification for seeking to in- crease $he net revenues through the process of reducing the wages of em- ployes. Rallway labor has an interest in just and fair regulation. But we would warn those who would evade the issue of reasonable rates and, with appeals to prejudice and misinforma- tion, would seck to substitute a wage issue that no impartial review of the facts will support their contentions. The railway labor organizations not only | are united” and prepared to resist any { such move with all the powers of their | command; they are a'sd fortified with | the solemn agreement between repre- | sentatives of employers and employes {and the Government of the United States not to permit the pressure of a business depression to be used as the excuse for breaking down the American standard of living and compelling men to labor for less than just compensation for their services.” It has been pointed out in railroad labor circles’ that a freight rate in- crease might have the result of driving additional traffic away from the roads and into the trucks. WRECK INJURIES FATAL TO MAN, 80 George Sturmer, B. & 0. Veterans Head, in Auto Crash at Edenburg. ‘WINCHESTER, Va., July 29.—George Sturmer, 80, of Baltimore,, grand presi- dent of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Veteran Employes’ Association, 6:30 o'clock this morning in Winches- ter Memorial Hospital from a frac- tured skull, sustained late Saturday afternoon, when the auto in which he was riding_was struck by another at | Edenburg, Shenandoah County. Mr. Sturmer was picked up from the sidewalk in an unconscious condition and remained in that state until the end_this morning. Shenandozh County authorities are riding in an auto- C. H. Ranck, when they were struck by a_machine, allegedly driven by a youth, Thomas Miller, from Woodstock. Sturmer, according to local B. & O. officials, was : close friend of President Daniel Willard. Vice President C. W. Galloway and General Manager E. W. Shearer, all of the Baltimore & Ohio. The remains, it was said today, would be taken to Baltimore for burial. You —AUTOM! comfort, tion assured 400PAY REDUCTIO STRIKES REPORTED 11931 Labor Disputes In- crease Over 1930—86 Con- troversies Involve 67,387. The Labor Department’s Division of Conciliation now is seeking to adjust i 86 labor disputes in 18 States, involving | 67,387 workers, of whom 56,245 are | affected directly, according to figures ! made public today. | The report also showed more than 460 strikes and controversies have been reported within a few months and practically all of them have been against wage reductions. Increase Is Shown. As against a total in 1930 of 653 disputes, involving 158,114 workers, 447, affected 132,273 workers, were listed by the department in the six months ended June 30 last. Last Saturday, the report shoved, there were 57 strikes before the depart- ment and 29 controversies which had not reached the strike stage. The most serious problems now pending arce pre- sented by the coal strikes in Western Pennsyvania, Eastern Ohio and North- ern West Virginia and the silk workers’ strike in Pennsylvania. * Some adjustments have been made in Pennsylvania, including the case of the Pittsburgh terminal in which an agreement was signed last week, applic- able to 2,400 miners, providing for an eight-hour day and wage increases. First Coal Settlement. The department said this agreement was the first reported settlement reached in the coal industry since 1927. |RAILWAY OFFICIALS CUT OWN SALARIES; WAGES MAINTAINED tinued From First Page.) any optimism in connection with the immediats future of the unemployment situation. Mr. Payne stated that the situation exists and that it must be met, and it was for the purpose of dis- cussing the subject in its broader aspects that the President sent for him. He emphasized the importance of impressing upon the. States, munici- palities and counties the need far co- operation in meeting the situation. “Primarily the problem is one for the States, countles and municipalities to handle,” Mr. Payne said. “The re- sponsibility is theirs and not the Fed- eral Government's, and they should not fail to meet their responsibility. Of course, the Federal Government should extend assistance.” In this connection and in answer to inquiries as to what Federal Gov- ernment should do, Mr. Payne, ex- pressed himself bitterly in opposition to anything bordering on a dole. He said 8 dole would do more harm than good. Every One Responsible. Mr. Payne said that secondarily the unemployment problem was & re- sponsibility to every person in the country. He stated that every one should be responsible to contribute his share in aiding those who are in want. Mr. Payne declined comment upon the President’s viewpoint or to mak> any speculation as to what the President has in_mind to meet the situation. Mr. Payne said that the American Red Cross has not received any reports from its field representatives which could considered of a very alarming na- fure concerning the unemployment situation. ° Payne sald the Red Cross did not deal with unemployment under its charter, but that he had been summoned for a general discussion of the situation with- out reference to any part the Red Cross could play. Outlined Mobilization Plan. Croxton, whose committee was cre- \ More than 15,000 miners are affected | ated to keep in close touch with unem- by pending disputes in Pennsylvania, | ployment and to co-ordinate relief ac- about 2,000 in West Virginia, as many | tivities, outlined to the Association of | more in Kentucky and 5,000 in Ohio. Community Chests and Councils in Strike activity is greatest in the coal | Minneapolis in June plans for mobiliz- | mining, clothing, building and textile | ing welfare funds for aid during the | |industries. ‘The questions in dispute | Fall and Winter. FLETCHER TO KEEP POSITION TONOV. To Science Marriage Age of Brides Rises With Social Rank. ‘The better off she is, the later a girl Chairman of Tariff Body Per- | marries suaded to Retain Post Two Months More. By the Associated Press. Chairman Fletcher of the Tariff Com- mission ‘has been persuaded by Presi- dent Hoover to remain two additional months at his post to complete im- portant tariff adjustments. The former American Ambassador to Rome previously had announced that he had planned to terminate his services with the commission September 16. At that time, he sald, he had nothing in view, Glad He Will Stay. A White House statement sald yes- rday President Hoover believes that the commission, under the chairman=- ship of Fletche proved “it can and will make all proper and nec- essary adjustments” in tarifl rates. “The President appreciates the will- ingness of Mr. Fletcher to remain her two months,” the statement said, “thus giving the commission thebenefit of his fine abilities.” Praises Commission. Mr. Hoover belleves, it said, that th entrance of Mr. Fletcher and the other members have placed the commission where it commands the confidence of the public “in the absolutely fair and impartial administration of its im- portant dutie It added the commission expects prac- tically all pending investigations and surveys will have been completed by November 15, when Chairman Pletcher plans to retire. FIVE DELEGATES CHOSEN Speclal Dispatch to The Star. RIVERDALE, Md, July 29.—Dele- gates from the Riverdale Heights Vol- unteer Fire Department to the Annual County Firemen's Convention, to be |,h l That the age of brides increases with social and economic status.of their fam- ilies is found by Frank W. Notestein of the research division of the -Millbank memorial fund, from statistical analysis of the marriage eges of 17,876 native white women. Among city girls, he found, the daugh- ter from ths professional family mer- ries, on the average, at 24. The daugh- ters of business men tend to go to the altar a year younger, while the clerk’s daughter starts a home of her own in about her twenty-second year. Girls from the familles' of skilled, semi- skilled and unskilled workers marry, on e average, during the twenty-first y but the girl of the first-named class tends to put off the ceremony until lh:: is nmmtlrn. ountry girls marry younger than :I,guh'l"hi. l;ut ;m' -m:fl:urloux rela- Ip Jourid of ma ge age with social status. Thus, the daughters of farm owners marry at an average age of 223, of farm renters at 20.9, and of farm laborers at 20.1. American brides, on the average, are & trifle younger than English bride: —T. R. H. (Copyright. 1931.) During the five years of government aid in Chile 3,455 houses have been built, 2,907 are now under construction r.nno‘:elo.m have been requested for 737 SETTLING OF EARTH BLAMIED FOR BLAST Spark That Set Off Explosion in Garage, However, Not Determined. Bettling of earth around an 850 gal- | lon gasoline tank was blamed by Fire Marshal Calvin G. Lauber for the gas explosion which wrecked the basement floor of the Naiman Auto Supply Co., 800 Fourth street, yesterday. Lauber today ordered the concréte slab over the tank ripped up, and when this was done it was found that the settling of the ea'th around the tank had left a large spa.> between the tank and the concrete floor, in which highly explosive gasoline vapor had collected. ‘The tank was buried in artificially filled in earth, Mr. Lauber said, which ac- counted for the settling. Start Is Mystery. Just what set off the explosion was not clear. There is an electrical air compressor in tRe basement, and a spark from the motor might have done the work. A lighted match or cigarette butt might have started it, but there is no evidence that any one was smok- ing at the time of the explosion. Mr. Lauber said that there have been | three gasoline explosions this year, all {from diffcrent causes. There are 539 | places in the District where gasoline 15 stored sold, and the. . for trouble are practically unlimited;" Some of the causes for n’t never be ellmwd. he 4 f them resulted N & ‘garage n . lit a cagirette in a basement room in which a number of overalls, = gasoline, were hanging up to dry.! But before November 1, when licenses for 3a3 stations are renewed. he said thai his office would make a thorough check Tics of the. bilding \mwpeciors ofhos rules of tne 's_office |and the Fire Department were rigidly | observed. Will Require Sprinklers. Changes in the District bullding code, relating to construction of public ga- rages, were adopted yesterday by the District Commissioners on recom- mendation of Building Inspector John W. Oehmann. The changes are de- signed to decrease fire hazards in these structures. All public garages of three or more stories and all basement garages are required to be provided with automatic sprinklers, and in all new garages there must be stairs inclosed in such a way that they can serve as fire escapes. Changes in the code relating to the thickness and other features of inclos- ure walls were also adopied. They deal with technical matters on the subject of attaching the walls to , and are an attem) the rules, which were in dispute at the time of the crash of steel framework at the new Roosevelt High School. Police Dismissal Upheld. The Commissioners today upheld the | sentence of the Polics Trial Board dis- ;mluln, Pvt. W. H. Banning, third pre- i cinet, from the force for intoxication. Government bus lines have been in- ugurated in Chekian Province, China. A Great Saving on Office Furniture died at | . said to have been driven by | convenience and involve chiefly wages, conditions of em- plovment and recognition of unions. The department record shows that last year 44 per cent of strikes was settled in favor of the employes, as against 40 per cent in 1929. GARMENT WORKERS OF GOTHAM STRIKE Police on Hand as 30,000 Walk Out of 300 Shops in Protest Against “Sweatshop.” | By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, July 29.—Between 30,- 600 and 35000 workers belonging to the Amalgamated Clothes Workers of America walked out of 300 shops today on strike against sweatshop conditions Police details were sent into the clothing district near the Pennsylvania terminal, but little trouble was ex- cted. poS\dnEy Hillman, prestdent cf the union, said the strike had been called to end “once and for all” sweatshop conditions in the garment factories, and to end the terrorizing of union workers by gangsters. Heating Specialists for Over 25 Years Can Afford ATIC HEAT—the satisfac- by the At that time, he proposed as a first step that a national survey be made of towns and cities of 25,000 or over tc ascertain local needs and resources fo* meeting them. He sald that whatever the business trend might be during the remainder of the year the demands for relief would be unusually heavy this Fall and Winter. | Since then Croxton has announced that the Association of Community | Chests and Councils, the American As- soclation of Public Welfare officials and the Family Welfare Association of America had agreed to co-operate in preparations for expeoted relief calls. A preliminary repz:t to Croxton's Committee from one of the surveys con- ducted since then has indicated that| the relief burden during the coming Winter might be double that of last year. | ¥ Recent _appeals have been made to the Red Cross for help for unemployed miners in West Virginia and other coal regions. The Red Cross has refused to extend aid, however, on the ground that unemployment relief was purely a local problem and should be extended by the agencies on the ground. held August 8, have been chosen as follows: H. E. Stansfield, E. M. Greer, F. Stewart, W. H. McGinty and C. Lamot. Alternatives are C. Scott, S. Kernan, C. Sherbey, C. W. Scott and R. Thompson. In addition to officers recently elected to serve one year, the following are also named: E. M. Greer, captain; P. Stew- |} art, lieutenant; H. E. Stansfield, fire marshal; C. Lamot, forest warden; Mr. Colmer, chaiplain, and W. H. McGinty, Executive Committee. 1 Office Desk . $14 6 Office Chairs, ea., $5 7 Filing Cabinets, ea., $20 15 Electric Fans, ea., $9 3 Desk Lights, ea...$1.50 10 Standard Make Electric Ice Boxes.$126.75 up 10 Ink Well Sets, [ S GasRanges New, Large Assortment. Priced Very Low $ l 7.60 - From 3 BRANCHES 158 H Sts NE 674 C Sts SW 5925Ga AreNW Checking effectively supplement: tion of one’s income. tors—and everyone in t dependable bank. A “Union Trust” Savings Account as an aid in handling money to advantage and in saving a larger propor- We invite our thousands of savings deposi- to open personal Checking Accounts in this prior sale. Account s a “Union Trust” his city and section— 7 Glass Desk Pads, each ..........$6.50 6 Telephone Stands, o S 6 Desk Trays, each...75¢ 1 Windsor Chair ......$9 .l Office Table .......$4 3 Bookcases, each, $17.50 1/CoatRack . .......$2 Each Sale Final Bet. D & E Sts. We are offering for inmediate sale won- derful values in used, slightly used and sample furniture. Plat Book Tables ...$15 Miscellaneous Rugs— Miscellaneous Carpets— 6 Safes .....$20 and up 2 Stationery Cabinets, eachry. ... ooens 20 5 Drafting Boards, D U . < | 6 Typewriter Chairs, eachr: ........ 9258 And a great many other items too numerous to list—Every one at bargain prices and subject to Terms Cash—No C.0.D.—No Exchanges 425 10th St. N.W. roads should reduce wages. The in- jection of this issue in the rate hear- ing is unwarranted. Can't Rule on Wages. “The Interstate Commerce Commis slon has not been given jurisdiction to determine the reasonableness of railway wages. On the contrary, other nited States Oil Burner Special Terms, $25 1% paid on Checking and 3% on Savings Accounts ing by which it is the settled legis- lative policy of the Government that ‘wages should be fixed. A debate be- fore the commission between railroad labor and railroad managements upon the reasonableness of wages would be out of place. It would be clearly im- proper for railway managements or others to attempt to raise this wage issue before the commission, and to ask the commission, even by delicate suggestion, to join in criticizing the administrative machinery provided by Congress to determine the reasonable- ness of railway wages. But since this issue has been raised, the railway labor organizations wish to make their posi- tion clearly understood. “It is not true that railway wages are high. The vast majority of men in railway employment do not earn today, and have not earned for years, wages equal to those of men engaged in sim- ilar work, calling for similar skill, in private industries. There are several hundred thousand railway men ho have been out of work for over a year. ‘There are as many more who have been working only part time for many years. A substantial part of this burden of un- employment is being carried by the men who are employed. Even in the days of prosperity railway workers failed to gain increases proportionate to general increases of wages, and no large group of industrial workers has suffered more than railway men from the displace- ment nf man power by machines. More traffic was handled by the railways in 1929 than in 1920, with 370,000 less men. This year an additional 300.000 are unemployed and a large percentage %n those remaining are working part e. “Railway Labor Underpaid.” “Railway labor has submitted its claims to arbitration after arbitration in the last five years and without ex- ception impartial boards have found that railway labor was underpaid. The Nation-wide depression of today has been caused by low wages, by excessive profits of the few and the underpay- ment of the many, whose purchasing power would not absorb the flood of ®oods that industry produced. “There is a ‘very good reason why well informed rallroad executives have not responded to the pressure of out- side forces urging wage reductions. ‘The facts will not support such a de- mand. There are several hundred thousand men in the lower-pald groups of rallway labor earning less than $1,000 a year. There are several hundred thousand in the medium- priced groups who earn less than $1,500 a year, yet these include men of the highest grades of mechanical skill whose wages have always been much higher in other industries. The com- paratively small number of railway em- rloyes who earn a decent livelihood are men of long experience and responsibility who are, for .the mcst part, subject to demotions d rt- time employment as traffic fluctuates and who never attain the compensation and security obtained by men of similar clnlcity in other walks of life. “Again let it be pointed out that an industry that has a constantly declin- ing labor cost has no just claim to re- duce ‘The fact is that the rail- Down “U. 8.” and PLUMBING 1908 M TELEPHONES: at , the balance in Monthly Payments Beginning October 1st Come in and let us show you the make an estimate—it'll in no way obligate you. MAURICE J. COLBERT CO. HEATING—TINNING St. N.W. NORTH 0402-0403-0404 resses Made New ‘4 to *9 Send your old matt: make it into & new ress to us. We will one, First it will be sterilized, then cleaned, its resiliency re- stored and a charm: ing new ticking pro- vided. The work will be done in eight hours at a cost of $4 to $9. Mattresses, Box Spri ngs 2nd Pillows reno- vated or made to order at factory pr We are headquarters ZABAN for beds and beddcing. 903 E St. N. w. Phone National 9411 ety 7 OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SOUTHWEST CORNER FIFTEENTH AND H STREETS NORTHWEST You'll enjoy Mail or leave your address or itinerary at The Star Business Office, and The Star will be mailed to you with the same dispatch as if you were in your own home in Washington. Payable in your Vacation all the more . because O f t h e Even though every day * will be replete with inter- est and pleasant surprises ...news from “home” will always be welcome . . . Reading The Star while you are vacationing will keep you posted as to local happenings. Rates by Mail—Postage Paid Advance Maryland and Virginia Evening and Sunday. Ev wed e «o0 250 ening. Sunday. 50c 40c 15 10c All Other States week : .m:be Star 50c 15¢ .$1.00 75¢ 30c 25¢ Cut for a Farewell! Two Astonishingly Bigger Spe- cials Which Clearance Offers. Every Three-Pc. Fashion Park and Mode Suit and Top Coat Originally selling up to $75 529.75 Alterations at Cost Worsteds are included among the suits; and camel’s hair in the topcoats. A good buy for Fall as well as now. Exclusive models and patterns—and Fashion Park and Mode craftsmanship. ~ All Three-Piece Tropical Worsted and Imported Light-Weight Flannel Suits Have been $35, $40 and $45 ~$2 4.75 Alterations at Cost It’s wholly without precedent that these Tropical Worsteds and Feather- weigh: Fh:n:h get cut to such a point before the Summer is half The Mode . . . F at Eleventh