The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-10
REMEDY FOR RAILROAD STRIKES

In the February number of the Forum
Colonel Wright. chief of the national
Labor Bureau, shows that federal and
State legislatures, sustained by the
courts, have taken the control of rail-
roads in many respects out of the hands
Of the owners and managers. He does
not advocate State ownership and he
denounces as impracticable all the
schemes of State socialism. but insists
that. having assumed control of rail-
road corporations in many Important
directions, the vernme should pro-
coed to adopt a policy which will make
impossible the interruption of traffic by
strikes. Colonel Wright briefly reviews
the acts of Congress during the past
few years., showing the development of
the theory of legislative control. He
points our that the interstate-commerce
act of 1887 is an assumption of the power
of the federal government to enforce
passenger and freight rates which are
reasonable and just" Congress created
a commission to carry out these decla-
rations by regulating railroad charges.
In 1888 Congress created boards of arbi-
tration, which practically affirm the
principle that labor controversies in
connection with railroad service are
matters which ought to be adjusted by
an impartial third party representing
the public interest, as are freight and
passenger rates. He calls attention to
the fact that the present House has
passed a bill permitting railroads to
pool their earnings, so as to enable
them to make fair profits on their sery-
Ice. under the supervision of the Inter
state-commerce Commission. Between
such interference as this, limiting the
fares and freight charges of railroads
and supervising their pooling contracts.
which is the same thing as limiting
their incomes and profits and Interfering
to supervise their wage rates, Colonel
Wright holds that there is absolutely no
difference in principle.
He goes on to say that the estimated
$50, 900, 900 of loss inflicted by the Dehs
strike was not to any extent a loss of
the railroads and the wages of employees.
but of the shippers and the general pub
lie. Having gone as far as it has, the
government cannot stop until it has
given the people protection against the
loss and damage inflicted by railroad
strikes. Colonel Wright intimates that
1T is a much less interference with the
running of railroads to say what wages
are just and reasonable than to assume
the power which Congress has assumed
over the rates of transportation, and
which the Supreme Court has declared
to be constitutional. When the railroad
employee has accepted the wages which
the agents of the government have prac-
tically defined he becomes a quasi pub
lie servant, and on that status the right
to strike would be voluntarily surren-
deIed.
Logically, the views which Colonel
Wright has presented and maintained
are so sound that they are entitled to
candid consideration. But as some
propositions which are logical are found
to be impracticable when tested, it
would not be prudent to accept this
theory without full investigation. 1t is.
however. sensible. which is very much
more thar can be said for the PROPOSE
tons for government ownership and
management.