24 JANUARY 1920, Page 3

Sir Eric Geddes, speaking at Cambridge on Tuesday, said that

the new permanent wages-bill of the railways would be £110,000,000 a year, as compared with £47,000,000 before the war. He was not speaking of the present wages-bill, which is higher still because the railwaymen are receiving additional war wages. If the cost of living fell, the war wages would also be reduced, but not proportionately, so that the railwaymen would in any ease be far better off than before. Sir Eric Geddes declared that the settlement was the greatest step yet made towards a proper understanding between employers and em- ployed. It would pay the railways if the managers, freed from incessant disputes about wages, were able to give their whole attention to the improvement of the service.