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THE WEATHER; ! Complete! Service - of the Associated Press Probafoly rain and warmer ' Tuesday and "Wednesday. Stair TOL. CI-KO. 150. GERMAN OPERATIONS ON RUSSIAN FRONT HAVE BEEN RESUMED Dispatch From Berlin Announces!" miat Trocros Have Already Crossed the Dvina jAY DRIVE ON PETROGRAD Swedish Reports Say Germans Are Pushing Their Way IntV , Esthonia and Livonia BOLSHEVIKI OCCUPY KIEV Successful Operations Against Ukrainians Reported (Associated Press War Summary.) With Russia in the grip of inter necine strife and her battle line de nuded of men as a result of the peace declaration of the Bolshe viki,' Germany has already begun the carrying out of her threat of n hpfansfi of thft failurfi d the Bolsheviki to sign a peace compact with the central powers. A dispatch from Berlin announces that German troops have crossed the Dvina river. - Isolate Russia From Baltic. Reports emanating' from Sweden say that the Germans have begun pushing forward their troops into Rusia's two remaining Baltic provinces Esthonia and Livonia the taking of which would completely isolate Russia from the shores of the Baltic and give the enemy in addition to the port of Riga, the city of Reval, situated on the Gulf of Finland opposite Helslngfors, whence they easily might -operate against Petrograd by sea. Austria Placated. Although Austria-Hungary had shown dissatisfaction over the stand that Germany has taken toward Rus sia, the dual monarchy evidently . has been placated by a promise of Germany that any German military activity would be confined to Northern Russia and Austria-Hungary left to deal with whatever other problems may arise In the territory nrHarAnt tn 'hnrflfirs- Bolsaeviki Capture Kiev. Belated dispatches from Petrograd tell of the capture of Kiev, the ! new capital of the Ukraine, by the Bolshe viki The fighting is described as hav ing been fought between the Bolshe vik and the moderates during which j- i niu iiui UUUIUOIUCU LXi - unwell iciuna cki. are ue- iH.rn t n h m. i. . . i - . a wtej and put to rout, while the Bol- . aiso are reported to have cap ped Tongorod on the Black Sea. and viunezn, camtal of tne nrnvlnM of Minor Infant nn.r.Mn.. On the battlefront . - vijeranons continue 01 a IT1AT V , . "ojiniea sectors ana heer and '" r more tnan the usual vio snce. Thft nniw " ' T aLtauK I j I i hi inn h npn "u me sector wnere tne ncn a'3ed by American eunnera. . merman no.oit nna loot Tna. 3f At this point, which is situated a h - a U U. II1CSII 11a L11C nctt trenches. Later y,70 -x,a ere rejected od in oiiti ul iuuk prisoners Onlhl sCan Rrins Down. el mencan sector near St. Mi eriai mans have increased their ing It "nnaissances. and bomb drop irLft t n3- The American anti 'an, ; t Vr,s ar6 forcing the enemy ' then t v at hi!?h altitudes. One ArfJl- a 'iriven dovn da-naged American aviator. TentvTfn of German a 41 in? vn per3ns .were killed Mhe rl"red in the air raids made a SunX ans on London Saturday wiy"leh- As on Saturday machi.P ' uf the 8ix or seve eh tfate the h!5 WhIch aempted to pen. ck. td"don In Sunday night's rainst the . raid was attempted lhe Britich xaonoay night. WIS 1.049 eenkniPrt rnx. cers and men having aia 2 08? ""mcu Aim missing T rUIiES Am-nm retroer, " . A WITH DEFEAT fc0f. , .U0rry polish 1iaa,rt etruary laheviki at Minsk eavy ! 5.h.e Polish forces suffering ""10 the . -"""ub a. uis- u at riri news uuicitu 0n fletSh k Pebrary 7. h,i. eiaf!hment n cnn i-.-, 7. aled ar-n j I aa a.n- al L accraing to the disriatfih. oia hpt, luugni on , loreea j """vnicuu ana oi 0l'sh iPmland counter-revolutionary Uh uus consisting of s onn . -"-uierv. a . ---". rr - wnw, vvi uiuuuv nnrin? u victorious, and soldiers troops . " suns wpm x . j . he iLValry ack. 'ces Population received nnr ons 11' sullying them with Continued "?? "oops reUred waued on Page Two) Streets of Kiev Filled With Dead and Wonnded During Friday's Battle Petrograd, Saturday, Feb. 9. (By the Associated Press) Kiev, one of the principal cities of the Ukraine, was captured by the Bolsheviki on Friday after sanguinary nghftingj. The streets were filled with dead or wounded. While the fighting was at its height on Thursday the city was bombarded by Bolsehvik avi ators. News of the capture of Kiev was contained In an official dispatch re ceived by Bolsheviki headquarters. The soviet forces, under Col. Mu ravieff, who defeated Keensky at the beginning of the latest revolu tion, re-entered the city from which the Ukraine forces had fled after reelasing the Bolshevik authorities whom they had imprisoned a few days before. ) The correspondents of the Petro grad papers describing the situation at Kiev say it can be compared only to the havoc, death and de struction wrought by the notorious Jewish program in 1905. On Thurs day when the fighting was at its height, aviators were bombing the houses and there was promiscuous shooting from windows and roofs. Killed and wounded filled the streets. Mobs of hooligans ran un checked. The city duma attempted to negotiate an armistice, but fail ed. , , - TH IS URGED TO FEED ITSELF Prepare for Food and Feed First, Then Put ' Remainder of Acreage in Cotton . IS DEPARTMENT '& APPEAL Supplementary Pood Production Pro gram la Iaaued Points Out That America Must Help to Feed European. Washington, Feb. 18. Planting of an increased acreage of spring wheat and the production of an increased supply of other" food products and of livestock, especially hogs, is rec ommended in a supplementary.; food production program issued today by the department of agriculture. It re emphasizes and amplifies the program for 1918 issued by the department last August and later suggestions regard ing increased pork production and In creased production of foodstuffs in the south. "Notwithstanding an increased pro duction of staple crops in the United States in 1917 there is need for more food," the statement says. "Taking into account our own needs, the needs of the nations associated with us in this war and the need of friendly neu tral nations, our best efforts will be required to provide enough food in 1518. Whether the war continues or not the demands on this country be cause of the increasing population and the needs of Europe will be great. 'KJhief emphasis should be given to the production of the great staple food productions, with special stress on wheat and hogs, the leading war foods. It is believed that the necessary pro duction can be secured through the use of the beet known farm meth ods, but it may be necessary to a small extent to sacrifice certain of the less important farm crops . tem porarily in the interest of others which rank highest in Importance as food for man." v The South is urged to provide food for its own people and feed for its livestock and then to plant as much cotton as can well be cultivated and harvested. To raisers of hogs and beef animals the world need for meats and fats is made clear. Farmers are urged to join with the men on the ranges in providing sheep whose wool is needed to equip soldiers. Discussing the farm labor problem, the program savs that while the la bor situation still presents difflcultis the farmers succeeded in overcoming them last year1 and that with better organization and especially with de ferred classification of skilled vf arm la bor, the difficulties again can be sur mounted. The department states it will con tinue to assist farmers in .every feas ible way to secure and safeguard their seed supplies and to prevent losses of foodstuffs from insect' pest's ' and dis eases of plants an danimals. $900,000 SUIT IS FIIED AGAINST RUSSIAN SHIP Norfolk, Va., Feb. 18. In i federal court today a libel suit of $900,000 was filed against the Russian steamship Omsk by' Richardson, RaUIe & Co.," Meller Fenton, Busby Bros, and other libellants, all shippers of cotton. The libellants allege that the steamer load ed a cargo of cotton at Galveston, Tex., for Europe and was paid f30 a bale freight; but that It has been or is be ing unloaded at this port and that the steamer's master intends to violate the contract fo rits freighting across" the ocean- and to sail without re-loading the cargo. SOU 1 i ' " r . - - y TOIKGTON, 2. C AERIAL ACTIVITY IN THE AMERICAN SECTOR INCREASES Our Aviators Keep Huns at Alti tude That They Are Unable to Aim Accurately ONE PLANE BROUGHT DOWN Artillery Action Also Lively Yes terday and a Number of Casualties Occur With the American Army In France, Feb. 18. (By the Associated Press) There has been a considerable increase in aerial activity in the American sec tor since last night. Enemy planes again flew over the town where a few days ego an Ameri can field hospital was located, and dropped bombs, but without damage. One hostile machine was driven to earth in a damaged condition by " an American aviator. The activity of the American anti aircraft gunners, machine gunners and battery operators kept' the eenmy ma chines from flying low enough to get a good aim. One attempted to come lower but was hotly engaged and driv en off. Another ( was chased down aft er it had been hit by anti-aircraft fire. All day hostile planes were over the American position. The artillery action also was lively and a number of casualties are report ed. One shell dropped on a cook tent and wounded six men. Three men in the trenches were wounded by shrap nel, including a second ' lieutenant. Several others were injured when a town was shelled. Bright moonlight assisted the work of the American patrols last night but no Germans were seen. A portion of the sector was subjected to a slight gassing by the enemy, but the men put on their masks and theer were no cas ualties. SEmsRAi" dejaths'Tlnd ' uNir' - SUICIDE are: reported ' Washington, Feb. 18. The deaths of four privates as the result of explos ions, the killing of Cadet Lindley H. De Garmo, Ridgewood, N. J., in, an' air plane accident last Saturday, and - the suicide -of Lieut. Gordon Lorlng Rand; Lawrence, Long Island. N.. attached to - the aviation section of the signal corps were reported to the war depart ment today by Gen. Pershing. No details were given but it is as sumed - the explosions were . of hand grenades. - - " , Three deaths from natural causes also were reported. The death of Private Lynwood L. Payne, infantry of Purcellville, Va., from pneumonia, was reported today by Gen. Persning. . FAYETTEVTJLIE COLORED SOLDIER DIES IN FRANCE (Special Star Correspondence) Fayetteville, Feb. 18. The first Fay ettevllle man to die on French soil with the American forces In the great war is Thomas H. Kirkpatrick, 23, a young colored man who enlisted in the United States Army six years ago and was serving in the Quartermaster Corps at the time of his death, which resulted from pneumonia. His father is Thomas H. Kirkpatrick, of this city. He was well liked by members of both races here. He enlisted when he was only . 17 years old. ASSISTANT PURSER NABBED. Confesses to Having Brought European Bonds to America. An Atlantic Port, Feb. 18. Johannes Hendrik Werkhoven, assistant purser on the HollandAmerica liner Nieuwe Amsterdam, was arrested here today under, the , trading with' the enemy act and is said to have confessed that he had brought to this country for re demption bonds and coupons owned in Europe. He was held in $25,000 bail for further examination. Army Intelligence Officers have puz zled as to the manner in which securi tiees known to belong to Germans re siding abroad have been brought to the United States and converted into cash. The arrest- of Werkhoven, who was trapped while negotiating the sale of a $500 United Fruit-Co., bond, is be lieved to clear up the mystery. URGENT DEFICIENCY BILL IS PASSED BY THE HOUSE Washington, Feb. 18. The billion dollar urgency deficiency bill, carry ing half a billion ' for the military es tablishment and large sums for the navy and other branches of the gov ernment, was passed today by the house without a rerord' vote. In direct appropriations and authori zations for obligations during the re mainder of this fiscal year the total of the measure is . $1,107,220,000. It now goes to the senate, where it will be- giaren prompt consideration. - LimitCorn Exports. Washlngton,Feb. 18. Because of the scarcity of field seed com. -exports of corn to Canada for feeding and manu facturing purposes will be limited hereafter to those varieties and grades which are not suitable for seeding. The war trade board announced this ruling today, to become effective February 19. r ' : : - - Asks Labor Program Fund. .; i' Washington, Feb. 13. Appropria tions of $485,452 for this fiscal year and $1,556,360 for the year beginning July-1 to carry out the war labor "adr ministration which President ; Wilson has entrusted to the reorganized ; dee per tment ' of labor were - asked of con gress today by secretary Wilson, v TUESDAY MORNING, PREPARING TO USE WILMINGTON FOR SHIPPING COTTON This Assurance Given Delegation of Wilmingtonlans in Wash ingon Yesterday CONFER WITH SENATORS To Further Press Port's Advanta ges in Conferences With High Officials Today" By PARKER R. ANDERSON. . Washington, D. C, Feb. 18. Prepar ations are being made by Director General of Railroads McAdoo for mov ing the cotton crop of the' south that has not already been transported by water facilities In order to relieve rail congestion. Under, the direct super vision of W. H. Pleasants, head of the marine division of the director! gen eral's, office, sufficient ships are - being procured . to take care of all the cot ton stored in the various warehouses of the south that is intended for shipment to New England ports. . The cotton will be 'moved to Wil mington, Charleston, t Savannah,' - Gal veston, and other,, southern ports by rail transportation' and after assemb lage at these various places will be transhipped oyer water routes to final destination. . .. i Advantageous- All Around. It is the purpose of the Director Gen eral of Railroads to use water trans portation wherever possible in order to get rid of some of the strain that has been placed upon the railroads of the country, and he believes that he can handle ; the movement of : cotton ' from the south in this way and thus prove advantageous hot-only to the govern ment, but to shippers and consumers as - well. ' - Wllminsrton Delegation pleased. ' ! , This information was obtained -late this afternoon following j Iconf erenca between "a: raelegatlon-?of "Wilmington business men 'and. Senators Simmons and Overman' and Congressman God win. The Wilmington people told the statesmen that Wilmington is prepar ed to build ships and to handle large amounts of cotton- and other . goods either for export or Import' : , . Among those in the delegation . are : H.; C McQueen, Col. Walker Taylor, J. Allan Taylor, J. H.. Cowan, commer cial agent; M. W. Divine, W. H. Sprunt, ,M. J. Corbett,'C. C. Chadbourn, Thos. H- Wright and G. Herbert Smith. . Other Conferences Today. The committee will confer. with Sec retary McAdoo, members of; the ship ping board and Secretary of the Navy Daniels tomorrow. -They were ' well pleased with their' visit here today ' and are confident that the matter of using Wilmington as a port for .the handling of cotton in the very near future" "and the permanent utilization of the port in the not far distant 'future is a cer tainty. Every phase of the" port of Wilming ton was gone over with Senators Sim mons and Overman and Congressman Godwin In Senator Simmons', office to day. The conference ; lasted " for more than two hours and the situation' was thoroughly explained to the satisfac tion of both the senators and Congress man Godwin. AMOUNT OF COTTON TO BE !. RAISED TO 125,000 BALES Washington, Feb. .18.- The railroad administration announced today that thei hauling of cotton to gulf and south Atlantic ports for trans-shipment, by water to New England mills engaged in government contract work has been ! so. rapid in the last two weeks that It would undertake to increase, the quan tity to be received immediately' from loo.ooo to 125,000 bales. Boards of trade and chambers of commerce of many southern cities and towns were notified by C. H. Marks ham, regional director for the south, to assign a certain portion of their lo cal stocks of cotton for shipment under the' plans for moving 25,00 additional bales at this time. Eventually the railroad administration expects to car ry the entire' stock of Southern cotton destined for New England mills by wa ter route from gulf and south Atlantic ports and additional steamers will be assigned to this service. - W. H. Pleasants, newly appointed manager of the marine transportation division of the railroad administratfSh, will supervise this water movement. ANOTHER RAID ATTEMPTED German Made Effort to Raid London Last Night. ' - London, Feb. ,18. Hostile airplanes are attempting a' raid against Lon don again tonight, making the third raid in as many nights. No damage or ; casualties are yet reported. : An official statement Issued at midnight says: - -. '; ' V ".' :-"";'". r. ' "Hostile aircraft crossed the coast shortly after .9. o'clock tonight - and proceeded toward London. Some ' of this raiders penetrated the defenses ',- . . ' "T and so far there has been no damage and no casualties.' PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE IS ' , 4 -; ' MADE PUBLIC IN JAPAN . Tokio,. Feb. 15. (Friday)! President Wilson's message to Congress Feb. 11 was given the ' widest ' publication throughout Japan in the , afternoon papers- of - Feb. -13 and .'the morning pa pers Feb. 14. The paper received tTery favorable comment this morning in the leading papers of -Toklo and Osaka. . ' " . . r - "" " ITEBRTJABY 19, 1918 President 's Intervention Result s In Termination Of Eastern Shipyard Strikes All the Carpenters Will be Back at Work by Noon Today Hutche , son Called to Washington to Confer on Wage Scale Direc tor William Blackman Declares Shipyard Strikes Threaten the Life of Organized Labor Washington, Feb." 18. President Wilson's intervention has terminated the eastern shipyard strikes. Reports tonight to the shipping board from union heads in all districts In whlcn carpenters are out Bald the strikers would be back at work by noon to morrow. Wm. I Hutcheson president of the brotherhood of carpenters and Joiners, who was due here todaydid not arrive, but Is expected tomorrow to take up the situation with government officials. Although heretofore Hutcheson has declined to leave to the shipbuilding labor adjustment board a settlement of the carpenters1 demands officials be-, lieve that after President Wilson's message of last night he at least will be willing to renew relations with the board. ' ' Hutchesbn Overruled . Subordlnate. The carpenters brotherhood, it was brought out tonight, was made a party to the creation of . the adjustment board . by the signature of its vice president, but Hutcheson overruled his subordinate's action. This fact, ac cording to V.Everltt Maey, chairman This Made Possible by Unparallel ed Speed of Yards in Turn ing Out the Craft IRE DESTROYERS CONTRACTED FOR r DOZElf -NEWAWAEDS-LADEtVOTE'TOSIS THURSDAY Daniels Also Announces That the Navy Department Contemplates Doubling . j Training Station. Washington. Feb." 18. -Contracts for a number of destroyers in addition to those provided for In this year's great building program have been placed by the navy department.- Secretary Dan iels announced today this had been made possible' by the unparalleled speed 'with which the shipyards were turning .out destroyers making way for additional' ones on their stocks. ' have ' been awarded and it is under have been aawrded and it is under stood others are to follow. The exact number of destroyers now usder con struction never has been announced, but it is known to run Into the hun dreds. -. - , ' The secretary also announced that the' . navy contemplated doubling the capacity of the Pelham Bay, (N. Y.) na val training station to 20,000 men. Most of- the $12,000,000 asked for training stations would be spent on the Pelham Bay and . Hampton Roads stations. - - WILL STUDY THE QUESTION OF NON-SINKABLE SHIPS Washington.' Feb. 18. Secretary Daniels announced today the appoint ment of a special board of officers, headed by Rear Admiral A G. Winter halter, to study the whole question of non-sinkable ships with especial ref erence to the construction Installed on board the former Austrian steamer Lucia in an effort to make her torpedo proof. - This construction is described as. consisting of a series or bouyancy boxes." The board will include Captain O. W. Coesser, Naval Constructors Robert Stocker and William G. DuBose, and one other officer to be named. DANUBE ASKS FOR FUNDS TO EXPAND NAVAL PROGRAM Washington, "Feb. 18. Congress was asked by Secretary Daniels today for $230,0TTJ152 to further expand . the navy's great building program, pro vide for more' ordnance and ammuni tion, cover additional pay for an ex pansion of the marine corps from 30, 000 to 60,000 men and meet' other ex penses' not contemplated' in this year's naval appropriation bill. Of the-total f 100.000,000 is for ad ditional construction and to speed up construction now under way. MrJ Daniels said most of this amount would- he- '..spent for vessels "smaller than' cruisers," and explained that the unparalleled rapidity with which sme' yards were turning out destroy ers had made it possible to place more . contracts for boats than, had been thought possible. ; About a dozen new contracts already have been placed. r half of the number going to the Mare Island 'navy yard - which recently launched a destroyer 6 per cent com- Li.;. mn.r.fhm rtv v. a,- wnn laid. Some or the money will be spent for ' more of tfc Tchaser-destroyers" being built by Henry Ford In his De troit plant. ; - ' . : r - Want " Two-Cent Pieces ' Washington, Feb. 18- Recommenda tions that the treasury resume minting of. twocent" coins ' was ; adopted today bv ' the - executive committee of - the newspaper .publishers' -association in session here. - j of the adjustment board, is causing the ! present trouble at Seattle, where car penters are trying to enforce a closed shop; All carpenters in the western yards agreed to the Pacific coast wage award, Mr. Macy said, until they learn ed recently that Hutcheson had repu diated It. Threatens Life of Union Labor. William Blackman, director of labor for the emergency fleet corporation, issued a statement tonight declaring that shipyard strikes threaten the life of organized labor- in that a further shortage of ships will force the closing of plants producing war munitions. "It is only -through shipyard labor," he said, "that relief to labor through out the country can come. Therefore uncalled for strikes not only threaten the safety of our armies in France, but the very heart of. labor Itself through the reduction in employment which is faced by millions of men not engaged directly In shipyard work. "For this reason a shipyard strike is In effect a lockout aimed at all labor in the country and threatens the very life of organized labor itself. "On shipyard workers depend the (Continued on Page Six). LIMIT DISCUSSION DILL Administration Leaders in Senate Say This Action Insures Passage This Week , Senators Pomerene. and Watson Spoke - Yesterday in' 'Support of the Meas ure -Johnson Will Discuss , it ; ' .' Today. - Washington, -Feb.' 18. Plans wene made today ' which the administration leaders say will-' insure passage of the railroad bill this week. Under an in formal agreement to be submitted to 1 the senate tomorrow for ratification debate will be t limited to five minute speeches beginning at 2 p. m. Thurs day and it is expected ' that a final vote can be reached before adjourn ment that day. This agreement followed the read ing of a letter to Chairman Smith, of the interstate commerce committee, from" Director General McAdoo urging the necessity for prompt action in the matter and declaring that every day's delay was interferring with the prose- ' cution of the war." Chairman Smith proposed . the , program informally, af ter his proposal to ' fix five o'clock Thursday afternoon as the time to be gin voting had been blocked by an ob jection from Senator Poindexter. The latter said: he did not desire to de lay action, but wanted to leave the way open for discussion of any amend ments that might be offered. Debate on the bill, continued today with Senators Pomerene of Ohio and Watson of Indiana, both members of the interstate : commerce committee, speaking in its. support. Both urged liberal treatment . for ' the railroads while under government control, the latter declaring this course preferable to having eighteen billion dollars worth of property plunged into litigation. The Indiana senator opposed govern ment ownership of railroads and the indefinite extension ' of government control and urged the senate to accept the committee's proposal to limit the duration of government control to 18 months after the war ends. Senator Pomerene declared that tha present bill was a war measure and for that reason no efforts should be made in it to correct the evils of the trans portation system. Senator Johnson of California, will discuss the bill tomorrow, dealing es pecially with the' question of govern ment ownership. DR. ANNA SHAW LEAVES TO VISIT SOUTHERN STATES ' Washington, Feb. 18. Dr. Anna .loward Shaw, chairman of the wo rn ens' commWtee'of the council of na- tional defense, has left Washington to visit the Southern states in the inter est of the womans committee. She will urge the production of such foods as people may be able to consume in their own homes and communities. and the saving of food which must be transported." Negro Is Lynched. Fayetteville, Gtu, Feb. 18. Bud Cos by, a negro, was lynched last night by a mob of Fayette county citizens aft er he had attempted' to rob the home of Mrs. Barney McElwaney hear Aber deen and had kidnapped her two-year-old baby, according ; to -reports receiv ed here late tonight. The child was found by members of the mob yester- day morning In -a. briar patch uninjur d. WHOLE MTOTBEB 39,328 AGREE THAT THE NEED HIGHER PAY Roads' Representatives Say They , Recognize Hardships of the Low Paid Employes UNDER $150 REGARDED 'LOW Higgins Thinks Greatest Advance Should. Go to Those Getting Less Than $100 Month Washington, Feb. 18. The necessity for increased wages for railroad em- ployes was conceded today, by repre- 1 sentatlves of-a .majority of the rail roads of the United States appearing for the first time- before the govern ment's railroad wage commission. They said they came not to oppose requests of the employes, but merely to aid the commission by giving information. "Officials need no evidence that the cost of living has increased and that the low paid man needs assistance dur- " ing the war," declared J. W. Higgins, of Chicago, executive secretary of the western association of railways, speak ing for the roads of the western dis trict. "No one recognizes more keenly, than the managements that there are nu merous classes of employes not prop erly compensated," was the statement made for the eastern territory by John G. Walber, of . New. York, ' secretary of : the bureau of information or eastern railways. F. W. Brown, of Washington, assist ant to the vice-president or" the South ern railway, did not touch on the need for wage advances, but agreed that conditions outlined in other sections applied equally to the;south. The rail roads in the eastern and western . ter ritory pay 85 per cent of the money earned by railroad employes In the United States. What Is Considered 'Xow'l.- Mr. Higgins assertion .that tha.Joe paid man should'.'be-" he Iped drew -from- -' ecretary Lane, chairman of the com mission, a query as to what he connid ered a low 'paid man. T. would say that all. men receiving under $150 a month need more money to meet the advance in prices of ne cessities," Mr.' Higgins replied. "Perhaps the limit of those who need help should be raised to $2,000, a year which seems to be the line drawn by the government in the Income tax law. The greatest advance should be given to the men making less than $100 a-month. Those fellows must be having a strenuous time." ,' "The $2,000 limit ' would Include all ' laborers, trainmen, brskemen, mechan ics and cierks and a great many en- trmeers ana conauctors, commented Mr. Lane. Mr. Higgins admitted that was true. He did. not suggest any definite in crease but remarked that perhaps the increased living cost should te borne for. the distressed employe during the war. Both he and Mr. Walber assert ed that , the managements have not' been unmindful of the welfare of their employes in the past and have 'given additional pay where their finances permitted. ' . . . : - No Distinction Between Employes. All the speakers were careful to state that they made no distinction be tween union members and unorganized employes. The course of wages , was declared to have been upward 'since 1910 when ; the concerted form of de mand was first used by the' brother hoods. Especially since 1915 the ascending -trend has been noticeable, according to the speakers, who endeav ored to show that all classes of em ployers had received consideration in the matter of better pay. Mr. Walber said that from -January, 1916,. to the latter part of 1917 the pay of skilled labor and clerks Increased 15 per cent in the eastern district and unskilled labor from 25 to 100 per cent: He de clared the tenure of position was. very constant in the railroad, service and attributed to this the loyalty of many employes who refused "higher wages In industrial plants to remain with the railroads. . . f "The railroads will be running long after a lot of these factories and ship yards have their gates nailed up," lie remarked. , . Between 1909 and 1915, Mr. Walber said, engineers received wage Increas-1 es of . 18.3 per cent, firemen 25.61 per cent, conductors, 23.32 per cent and all other trainmen 29.91 per cent, the in crease having been afforded In large part by changes In the . wage schedule and to less degree by changes In the rules. , . -; , Average Increases. Mr. Higgins said the average rate or increase for- operating employes In the western, district between 1909 afid 1915 had been 13.25 per cent Since that time the wage increase on nine representative roads had been $11,073, 094 in 1916 for 319,000 men and $39, 113,612 in 1917 for 340,436 men, an av erage for the two years of $114.89 per man. If the ratio was true of all the roads in the United States he estimated the total added to the payrolls this year would be. between $250,000,000 an'd $260,000,000. Of the - 1917 v increase. $19,921,000 was said to have -been ab sorbed by the operation of the 8-hour law. ' ' - 4 "Then half the increase of that year went to the trainmen," remarked Sec retary Lane. In reporting their wage Increases some of the roads Included the pay 6f officers In the total. Mr. Higgins said, however, he thought the o cers had received few Increases. ,! "Do ybu think any of these officers . - ought to have their' salaries reduced? asked Commissioner McChord. . 'T am not 'In a position to 'answer (Continued on Page Eight). , RAILROADWORKERS .: ; ; .in
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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