70 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND WAGES

mass of employees were not sufficient to maintain a proper
standard of living for their families, to reduce rates of
pay would be violative of the fundamental meaning of the
law, whatever the conditions might be. The Transportation
 Act, it was claimed, contemplated a “living wage” for
employees as an irreducible minimum.

SENATOR CUMMINS’ INTERPRETATION OF THE
TRANSPORTATION Act IN 1922
Upon the refusal of the Railroad Labor Board to rule
upon this interpretation of the term “just and reasonable
wage” for all classes of low-paid employees, the contention
was carried by the unions in 1922 to the Senate Committee
on Interstate Commerce, which had had legislative charge
of the passage of the Transportation Act in 1920. During
the course of the hearing, on April 17, 1922, Senator
Albert B. Cummins, chairman of the committee and one
of the authors of the Transportation Act, in commenting
on its labor provisions, upheld the contention of the railroad
 workers. During the course of the hearing, the following
 significant colloquy occurred:
Senator LaFollette: “In applying the rule of ‘just and
reasonable’ in wages, as laid down in the Transportation Act,
Congress adopted the same phraseology as it did in dealing
with rates.”
Mr. Lauck: “Yes, Sir.”
Senator LaFollette: “And commodities.”
Mr. Lauck: “Yes, Sir.”
Senator LaFollette: “And omits all regard to the human
element.”
Mr. Lauck: “Yes; there are absolutely no human standards
 set forth specifically. I think really the intent of
Congress”—
The Chairman (Senator Cummins), interposing: “I think
the words ‘Just and reasonable’ do embrace that.”