Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-05
L ABOR ARBITRATION
Proposed Conference on the Bill Providing
for National Commission.
The Chairman Of the House Labor
Some Action mt This Session.

Labor Commissioner Wright will have a
| conference tomorrow with Chairman Nc
Gam of the House committee on labor,
Representative Springer. author of the
perding arbitration bill, and Representative
| Erdman, who wrote the favorable report on
the bill.
They will go over the question of arbltrat-
ing strikes. with view to outlining a pro-
gram for immediate action In Congress.
Mr.. Wright's experience in the presidential
commission which recently investigated
the Pullman strike is depended on to give
practical form to the plan of national arbi-
tration. 1t has heretofore been urged theo-
retically, but the report of the commission,
based on inquiry and experience, recon-
mendS such federal arbitration as the sur
est remedy against labor agitations and
strikes. 1t had been hoped that President
Cleveland would in his message give spe-
cific approval to the plan of arbitration
recommended by the strike commission, but
he confined himself to an approval of the
work of the commission.
Chairman Mccain says of the prospects
OF passing an arbitration bill this session:
Il think such bill will go through the
Senate and House without difficulty.
There seems to be q general feeling, with
out reference TO party, as to the opportune-
ness OF such measure. Under ordinary
circumstances ii would be difficult TO get
through such an important bill at a short
session, but the feeling is so ripe for action
that 1 expect 1T to pass both houses. The
Springer bill now reported is almost iden-
tical with the recommendations of the
presidential strike commission. Mr..
Wright will be asked for suggestions to
perfect the bill. and then there will be a
United effort to secure speedy action on the
subject"
Provisions of the Bill.
Briefly, the bill provides for the appoint
ment OF a permanent board of arbitration.
consisting of three persons. one of whom
may. in the discretion of the President, be
the commissioner of labor for the time be-
ing. The term OF their office is fixed at
six years, and their salaries at 5000 a
year, and their appointment shall be made
by the President. by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate. The arbitration
is secured the petition of one of the
parties to a controversy, and when neither
party asks for IL there is no compulsory
arbitration. but on the application of a
state legislature the President may tender
the offices OF the national commission.
The power of the commission to settle
strikes is defined in the bill as follows:
THE said national board of arbitration
shall have power. when in their discre-
ton the public interests require it, to in
vestigate the causes of all controversies
and disputes between employees and their
employers in the United States as they
may occur, and the conditions accompany
ing them, and the best means of their ad-
juStment; whether such controversies and
disputes are submitted for arbitration or
not, and to report thereon to the Presi-
dent of the United States, who shall from
time to time transmit such reports to Con-
gress. Said board shall have power to
settle and adjust by conciliation all such
disputes and controversies so far as it
may be possible to do so.'
1t is pointed out that the moral effect
of a settlement proposed by the national
commission would be sufficient TO make ii
effective, and that this would be better
than drastic measures TO compel accept
ance.