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HE labor unions have made their demands Tupon the railways of the United States â€" and through the railways upon the PUBLIC. These demands are vastly larger in proportion than any they have ever made. The economiâ€" cal and efficient operation of the railways is vital to the nation‘s defense effort. Therefore, the Western Railways present to the public the following facts: by the labor unions amount to 770 million dollars a year, an average increase in excess of 41 per cent. Thus the wage increases being demanded gare the highest in history. Other unions representing a greater numâ€" ber of railway employees are demanding wage increases ranging as high as 95 per centâ€"averaging 47 per cent â€"and amounting to 580 million dollars a year â€"â€" although their present rates of pay also rates of pay are the highest in history. The labor unions representing the engiâ€" neers, firemen, conductors, brakemen and switchmen are demanding a 30 per cent increase in wages, amounting to 190 milâ€" lion dollars a yearâ€" although their present THE WESTERN RAILWAYS Union Station, Chicago, III. The railways have a vitally important job before them. They need all their resources to continue adequately to serve you and contribâ€" ute effectively toward the National Defense In addition, certain of these labor unions have demanded advances in their pay not included in the above figures, and more. rules for the creation of unnecessary jobs. The situation, then, is this: The total cost of complying with all the demands made would be approximately 900 million dolâ€" lars a yearl The average weekly earnings of railway employees are now 15 per cent higher than in the peak year 1929, while the cost of living is 12 per cent less. The demands of the railway labor unions are being made when the entire nation has just been asked to make a supreme effort for National Defense. The railways cannot meet these demands without a great increase in the cost of transâ€" portation. They exceed by more than 700 milâ€" lion dollars the income that the railways had left after paying their annual expenses, taxes and charges in 1940.