Railway Wage Commission Explained

The Railway Wage Commission was a United States federal agency established in 1918 during World War I within the United States Railroad Administration.

History

The commission was authorized by President Woodrow Wilson on January 18, 1918 to examine the wages and working time of railroad employees.^[1]

In February 1918 the commission was petitioned by railroad workers to pay time and a half for work over an eight-hour day. Speaking on behalf of employers was E.F. Potter, assistant to the general manager of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad.^[2] The commission created the Board Of Railroad Wages And Working Conditions on May 25, 1918 to hear complaints about wages and safety. The board was dissolved on April 1, 1920.^[3]

Commissioners

• James Harry Covington
• Franklin Knight Lane
• Charles Caldwell McChord of the Interstate Commerce Commission
• William Russell Willcox
• William A. Ryan
• Frederick William Lehmann.^[1]

Notes and References

1. Here It Is! United Railroad Administration; Office of Director General; General Order No. 27 . The Railway Clerk . June 1918 . 17 . 6 . Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employes . Cincinnati, OH . 0270-0778 . 185.
2. News: Railroads Combat Overtime Penalty . The New York Times . February 22, 1918.
3. Web site: Records Of The Board Of Railroad Wages And Working Conditions . 2015-02-04 . U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.