New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-21
THE SOCIALISTIC CAR.
DRIVERS-THE HOME SECRETARY Az
MEDIATORITHE RESULT.

the truly English fashion Of a compromise The
| owners and drivers agreed to a conference the
| Home Secretary presiding There were fou,
fruitess sittings tempers on both sides %,
worse, and the conference seemed likely to break
up. Then Mr.. Asquith, who is a masterful man
| put the screw The masters receled a little
the men gave way a little Mr.. Asquith fixed a
scale of hiring which divided pretty equally the
sum in dispute, and all al once Il was announced
that a settlement had been agreed on Neither
party is satisfied. but the men swagger most and
call 1t a glorious victory" The owners prefer
1t to a longer struggle.
Mr. Asquths appearance mediator in tina
cab strike had less success. less immediate
success, than was expected The long negota.
ton in sharp contrast to the immediate set.
Element which followed upon Lord Rosebery's in.
terventon in the great coal controversy. Lord
Rosebery gained considerable prestige; perhaps
as much from the ins;antaneousness Of his sue,
cess as from the success itself. 1t was dramatic
in It's suddenness and yet the agreement thus So.
cured has proved lasting one. Mr.. Asquith
may have settled the differences II a stock ex.
change phrase may be used between cab owners
and cab drivers. but 1t is not quite 50 brllllanta
performance his friends hoped
The owners. | must say, showed great conf.
dence in the strength of their case when they
accepted Mr.. Asquth mediator. His natural
bent is TO the side Of the men. t. say that ia
not to question his impartiality. or his wish and
intention to be impartial Nobody who knows
him doubts for a moment that he would mean to
hold the balance even between the TWO parties
But he leans 10 Socialism, or, in the most modern
phrase and form, to collectvsm. II he had
predispositlon, it would be toward the cause OF
those who are reckoned che poorer and weaker,
and who resort TO strikes, with their inevitable
accompaniment Of intimidation. 70 redress their
grievances. II Re were arbitrator he would put
this aside. as a Judge does But as mediator
his functions less Judicial than II he were
arbitrator. and he Is fully entitled 70 use his
position TO put pressure on one side or the other
- accept his own views The fact that ne could
give no award. and had n authority seemed 70
leave him free enforce his preferences by argu-
men;. persuasion and other means which are
called. and are. moral That is what meant by
saying that the owners showed confidence in the
strength Of their case. They believed they could
/ convince a presiding officer who starts with an
inclination to believe the other side right.
As between owners and drivers neither sifS
may be right The public are not in possession
Of the facts which would enable them 20 decide.
But between the TWO parties 10 the dispute
on the one side and the public on the other it is
permissible 70 b. more positive. The drivers put
themselves in the wrong from the start They
set out 10 cocrce the public as well as the cab
owners They issued manifesto signed by the
officers Of the Cab Drivers Union announcing
/ that on and after a certain date no cabs would
be allowed" on the streets 4 London except
those licensed BY H. union and displaying the
union label "All others" added these sef-ap-
pointed lawgivcrs will be deemed 70 be black
legs and treated such backleg, in the
select vocabulary Of tie trade uni mist. is a work.
ingman who asserts MS rgl 20 work for an
employer against whom The union has struck. Mr.
| Asquth as Home Secretary. Is head OF the police
and responsible for public order. The circular
have quoted reads very much Ike an incentive
to violence No notice was taken Of it by the
authorities Nobody I'm this country seems TO
mind when a body Of men set themselves up as
licensing authorities assume very large powers
of control in the streets. control an important
portion Of the traffic or cay they will control H.
put the public 70 no matter how much incon-
venience and deny the right u other men IN the
same business as them1elves 70 pursue their own
calling without moestatior.
The Englishman. who prdes himself on taking
practical views. tells YOU with complacency mat
nothing happened and no harm was done;-
thore was ~ violence. II is true that open vio-
! lence was not practised. The strikers had not
! rho full courage 70 carry out their threats But
! the threat u violence often serves its purpose
| and dil in this case. intimidation was pracnsed
! on a great scale. II Is called pickeilng ana II
! has been assumed that pcketing was iegaL
| Whether picketing is practised IN America W
NOT know. nor IN what form Here Il means
! that a large number IL men collect about Gao
ward or any other centre OF industry. and by
IN, IVORY
! influence they can bring 90 bear short OF blows
or some form Of assault, seek 10 prevent men
from working who desire t. work. The puoho
opinion Of a very considerable body OF men On
strike is exercised in its most menacing an'
objective form on men who refuse % join me
s,r,ka II IS very effectual with men ~ weak
,,,rd or with the timid. or with those who nave
M s,rong conviction or wishes. The result !"
tho present case was that thousands OF drivers
were prevented from taking out caos' '"@'
tho drivers and their families were on me '"E'
- s,.rv,tion that cab owners were being sid'u'
all, rnined that an important industry was
being broken up. many owners sein"E me"
horses and cabs for what they would i'.'" "
auction. and that the public traffic OF L'"''"' ~
far as II carried on by CABS WAS N0
organized and half paralyzed.
But as picketing by help OF which all these &c
suits were produced was supposed q De H'' i"
loyal the authorities folded their hahd' anu
looked on con,entedly. Mr.. Asquith folded No
and was perhaps more than contented his coz
lectivist views carry him far. But no"
said that picketng. as between owners anu NV
ers IS not legal The statute ana the u'' -.
on II by virtue Of which pickeung Is uph''u "FP'
only to disputes between employer ana e'''p0'
4 cab owner is not an employer
driver is not employed The one lets anu Nv
other hires a cab at 50 much per DAY
wages are paid. Therefore. said Mr' b'o", ~"
police magistrate. there is no legal rlsH' !" r'."
cab yards and the strikers on duY dS -
may pN P'V I'm. n has