Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-10-18
ARBITRATION.
The Labor Commissioner Takes Ground
Against the Compulsory Idea.

CHICAGO, Oct. 1.-THE feature of the
quarterly dinner Of the Union League
club last night was the speech OF Car
roll D. Wright, United States labor
commissioner, on the subject of arbi-
tration of disputes between employees
and employer. lie said;
Imust limit myself to compulsory arbitra-
tion as applied to productive industry. The
first great question is; "Shall man have
right to do what he will with his own We
say now; No, he may not, II what he wishes
to do with 1t Is likely to iniure the property or
health OF his neighbors" A man must submit
to the wishes OF the community in regard to
his own property. A third limitation is likely
to be added to the answer Of to-day. The an
swer will soon be: mo, not II you injure the
standard OF living Of your neghbor.' How
then shall this last answer be met when 1t
comes, so that industry shall not be killed by
its consequences?
No way has yet been devised to prevent
strikes The most that can be done is to re-
duce them in number and severity. ArDltra-
traton cannot prevent them. Voluntary arDi-
tratl0n seems Il l0glcal unSWer
pass to compulsory arbitration. The advo-
Gates Of this say that, first, both parties to
dispute must be compelled to come into court
and that, second when the court issues its de-
cree, 1t must be enforced as any other decree
would be enforced Let US sec how this Will
work A is u manufacturer who pays his men
on an average 81 day. Owing to some cause
he finds he cannot pay this any longer and re-
duces wages to 9.S0. The men oppose this
They say they cannot live on less than "
The employer says that he cannot pay
more. The matter is taken before compul-
sorry court Of arbitration. Suppose the court
says the men must take the Sl.sO. How can
this be enforced: Say there are 5,OOo employees
Who can make them work. The consta-
BILE the sheriff, the posse comitatus, the mill
tary forces may be called out. But none can
make them work. The decree is dead from the
beginning Suppose the court says the manu-
facturer must pay the s., but II he really can
not afford to do so what must happenf The
employer must do one Of two things. Either
he must adulterate his goods TO make up the
difference or he must combine with other en-
ployers in a trust to keep up the prices. The
There is also an economic question to be con-
sdered II the state says the employer must
pay fixed price for work it has practically
fixed the price OF the commodity. The lawcan
fix the price, but It cannot compel the con-
sumers TO buy at that price
The next logical step is to make 1t penal
ofiense not to buy at that price. Then why not
let the law fix the prices of everything d.
recty: 1t would be cheaper to do this directly
than through the cumbersome machinery OF
compulsory arbitration The workman would
be slave under compulsory arbitration. He
has little freedom Of contract now. He must
submit to the ruling prices But compulsory
arbitration will destroy what little he has left.
1t will establish the prices ut which he can sell
the only commodity he possesses--that isi his
labor He must expect $3.50 or not work ut all
| il the court tells him to do so, even II the
actual cost Of living is =. On whatever side
we look at it, compulsory arbitration means
the death Of industry and the enslavement Of
labor.
There may be some modification Of the gem
era principle developed in the future, but do
not know II now, There should be protest
by the community against 1t. Few labor or
ganizatons ndorse it. A few scholars and
thinkers are almost the only ones who really
indorse It. To adopt it would be to 20 back to
the ages from which we have been divorced.
| II would be going back to Il worse barbarism
than we have ever had on this continent.
There would be no life, no survival OF industry
| undpr II