The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-22

Dominion Of Canada. For this e1patriutiou
there Is, 1t holds, but one cure visible. anu
that Is union with the United states.
How Labor Disputes Arc Settled In
Belgium.
Although one Of the most colossal OF re-
cent strikes took place last year In Belgium.
1t was organized for political purposes
and it resulted in obtaining pledge
from the Prime Minister that the
parIiamentary franchise Should be ex-
tended. Strikes for the purely eeonom-
icnl purpose OF putting pressure upon em-
ployers are relatively rare in Belgium. for
the reason that nowhere else In Europe does
there exist such effective machinery for the
peaceful settlement OF disputes between Ia
Dor and capital. There Is now not a Belgian
province and scarcely town but has its
legally qualified conciliators. whose duty
it is to smooth away the causes OF friction
between employers and the men in their
employ. The amount OF work done by these
conciliators may be estimated from the
fact that in ono town. Charleroi. In the
course OF six months no fewer than ]. l45 cases
we're submitted to them for arbitration.
Under the laws OF Belgium, there are two
kinds OF Official Boards OF Cancellation.
namely. the Councils OF Prud'hommcs and
the Councils OF Industry and Labor besides
many others. especially In the mining dis
tricts. established on less formal basis.
They all serve to bring masters and
men together. and they are all per-
vaded by the same idea, that men who work
together ought to be able to settle their
,l;a ,s.tth ny
two species of official Boards. the most
popular and influential are the Councils
OF Prudhommes. These were founded
rs far back as 1906. when Belgium
was Incorporated with France: but they
were thoroughly reconstructed In 1889
so as to make them more fairly representa-
tive of the wage-earning people. The pur-
pose of their existence is to reconcile the
interests OF capital and labor. and
to provide au inexpensive. expeditions way
OF adjusting any controversy which may
arise All disputes relating to wages.
hours OF work. or the kind OF work.
between an employer and his employees.
or between two or more employees
in the same factory. must BIO referred
to the Prud'hommes for arbitration be-
fore they can he brought into court OF law.
Competing manufacturers and operatives
working in different factories may also at
their option refer their differences to the
same Board. but they are not legally bound
to do SO.
Now as to the composition Of these hard
worked councils. Each consists. it seems. of
at least six members. half OF whom arc
elected by employers OF labor residing in
the districts where the council is held. and
the other half by their employees. A
Prud'homme must be a man Of good char
acter. who has completed his thirtieth year:
he must have lived in tho district for not
less than twelve months, and must have
been engaged for four or more years. either
as master or a workman. in one OF the
trades or crafts represented by the
council. He holds Office for six years.
one-half OF the council retiring every
third year. He receives no salary.
but his expenses are paid and a
small daily allowance is made to him during
the time he Is actually engaged in arbitra-
tlon duty. The qualifications Of the cleo
tors who choose the members OF the coun-
oil are the same as those OF ud'homme.
except that they are allowed TO vote from
their twenty-hfth year. The President and
the Vice-President Of each council are ap-
pointed by the Government, but one of them
must DO chosen from the list OF names drawn
up by the worklnen members Of the council.
and the other from a list framed by the en-
ployer members. II the President belongs
to the capitalist class. the Vice-President
must he workman. and rice rersa; but II
the whole OF the council. employers and
men. arc unanimous In the choice OF a Presi-
dent. the Government is obliged to appoint
| the nominee. Under the law each indus
trial centre must have at least one OF these
councils. butin some districts it has been
| found convenient to establish a distinct
| council for each separate industry.
The method followed by these Boards
is as follows: Two members. q mas
ter and q workman. are chosen to form q
Bureau OF Cancellation. whose business Is TO
sit one or two days week for the purpose
Of hearing complaints and examining any
matter 1t Is proposed to bring before the
council. No case cnn be heard by the full
Board until 1t has been reported on by the
Bureau.which, however. has itself no power
OF making awards. but is confined to trying
to bring about friendly agreement be-
tween disputants. These can under no cir
cumstances be represented by a lawyer.
but must either appear In person or
through relatives or friends. 1t appears
that the great majority Of disputes are
settled by the bureaus and are never
brought before the council at all.S Thus
out OF LAS cases referred to the Prud'-
hommes at Charleroi only Sc ever
came before the full Board. Even when
bureau has failed to arrange terms
OF agreement. the council does not at
once proceed to judgment. but in
the first instance sits as a court OF ar
bitration and only assumes judicial func-
tions In the last resort. When sitting ju-
dicially. 1t has the power of deciding sum-
marily all cases in which the dam
ages claimed are under $40. When
they exceed that amount. the person
condemned has the right to appeal
to a civil court. but this is seldom exer-
cised. In the year 1885 Of s.o5l disputes re-
ferred TO the Prud'hommes. 2.753 were
1