The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-23
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

boston Journal.


The Pullman strike. naturally enough. has
qurckened public interests In the discussion of
labor questions. A good many oracles, from
the press and the pulpit, are declaring that
compulsory arbitration is the solution of the
difhcu ". II is unlikely that these theorists
have paused TO consider the effect of the APP
plication of their remedy. Obviously.
arbitration must be impartial. A
system which could be enforced to
compel employers 10 pay more than they we're
disposed To would be popular with labor sgita-
tors; and a plan which might be used to com
pei men to continue at work under conditions
which were not acceptable to them might be
approved by some kinds of employers. but
neither party to labor controversies would be
wiling TO accept an instrument which might
be turned against him.
Let Us take the original Pullman strike as
an illustration. According TO Mr.. Pullman,
1t was impossible to pay the workmen more
than they were receiving, inasmuch as even
at those rates of wages the company was
losing money on every car which II made.
According TO the workmen or those who
spoke and acted for them, IL was impossible
for them TO live on the wages which
they were earning. Assuming hat each
party to the controversy was sincere and
stated the case ~ 1t appeared TO him, what
room was there for compulsory arbi-
trationY Suppose that the arbitrator decided
that Mr.. Pullman must pay higher wages,
where would be the justice In requiring him
To run his works at "a loss, when he preferred
to close them Ii It is said that the Pullman
Company could afford this for a while out Of
its past earnings, what would DO the result?
II the Pullman Company were to take con-
tracts at a loss, under the stress Of the deci-
sion OF arbitrator. its competitors in the
business OF car manufacture must close up
because they could not compete under such
As . matter of fact. the con-
Germ which bids against the Pullman Com
pany for the contract upon which tho Pull
man workmen were employed when the strike
began, closed its shops because IL could not do
business In that way. Ii compulsory arbitra-
tion resulted In giving employment ut more
IA the prevailing rates to one body of work
men at the cost OF depriving another body of
workmen altogether of employment, where
would be the gain ? Or TO reverse the suppo-
sition; II the decision were the other way. how
could the Pullman workmen be compelled to
continue work IL they preferred to be idle?
1t a mistake to suppose that labor leaders
want compulsory arbitration, rs we showed
the other day, the American Railway Union
a month ago vigorously denounced the
bill introduced in Congress looking to that
end. At three successive conventions of the
American Federation OF Labor resolutions In
favor of compulsory arbitration have been
voted down.. We believe that most. IL not ell,
Of the labor organizations take the same view
the question. Voluntary arbitration may
often DO eficacious, though when IL is at
By impromptu boards or committees, |
rs In the recent Great Northern strike. its re- |
suits may be questionable; but compulsory |
is impracticable,