Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-07-21
1NvEs LEGATION; NOT ARBITRATION

INVES LEGATION; NOT ARBITRATION.
There has been q widespread miscon-
ception OF the Presidents intention
when he promised the labor leaders to
take action under the law OF lSsS as
soon as order was fully restored. This
was not, as the Louisville CO1trier-Jour-
nal points out, a consent to arbitration
under Federal auspices, as had been
rashly assumed by some OF the persons
interested. The bill permits an arbi-
tration by men selected by the parties
and an umpire, but the commission
named by the President, including the
Commissioner Of Labor, does not ar6i-
trats; it only investigates.
This position is fully borne out by
Col. CARROLL d. WRIGHT, the Federal
Commissioners Of Labor. In an inter
view be says:
The responsibility Of this new commits
sion will be very great, especially In view
Of the fact that this is the first opportunity
that the President has had 70 act under the
law Of 1855. IL might be well 10 say right
here that we have nothing TO do with the
arbitration of the questions involved IN TINS
dispute The law requires the commits
sioners simply to investigate the facts and
report upon them, making at the same time
such suggestions In the way Of remedies as
may be deemed appropriate. With regard
10 the possible solution Of the present
trouble and the remedies that may oe sug-
gested by the commission, l can only say
that until the whole matter has been thor
oughly sifted, there is no ground upon
which 10 base any conclusions. The medl-
cine can not be Indicated until the disease
has been diagnosed.
1t may be doubted whether this In
vestigation will develop any new facts
having an important bearing on the
question at issue. In fact, as the COlr-
journal says, it is q puzzling ques-
ton what is the point at issue in this
case. Its not whether PULLMAN was
SAYING his employees adequate wages.
The investigation relates 20 interstate
| commerce, and the men at the Pullman
shops we're not engaged In an occupation
that falls under that description.
Whether strikers or their sympathizers
have a right 70 violate the law, to raw
age and burn, can not be put in issue,
for it is conceded on all sides that they
have no such right. Whether a sym
pathetic strike is a just and proper
remedy for labor troubles might be in
vestigatsd, though upon that question
public opinion is practically made up.
Ii is true that the Federal Commits
sion is not required 10 try a definite
issue, like jury In a court Of Justice.
1t is charged with investigating 1.-The
causes OF the controversy, the condi-
tlons accompanying it, and the best
means OF adjusting it," But this rem
ders il necessary TO determine In ad-
vance what controversy is to be investi-
gated, and this controversy must relate
| to Interstate commerce. From this II
would appear that the question to which
the investigation relates is whether the
railroad managers should have yielded
TO DEBs' demand to cease hauling Pull
man cars. The Commission may collect
all the facts bearing upon the subject
and report them with their conclusions
and suggestions. The report will doubt
less be interesting, but the conditions
are such that it can hardly be impor-
tant