Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-11-11
Progress of Arbitration.


Arbitration has been tried in many
cases and worked with gratifying
success. Strikes are the characters
tics of the feudal age of capital and
labor, and arbitration will be charac-
teristic of the age of law. 1t must be
plain to every intelligent workingman
that $40 is lost as often as 81 Is gained
by the policy of strikes. Even when
apparently successful it amounts TO
but little in the long run, for anything
that is forced against the natural laws
Of trade can only be Of temporary du-
ration. If there was better under
standing between labor and capital a
great many differences which arise
between them could be settled, and the
result Of such settlement would be
productive of much good to both en-
ployer and employe. Capital and Ia
Dor should try to be honest with each
other at all times. Retribution in some
form is sure to follow any departure
from the principles Of truth and JUS
tice. The oft-occurring conflicts be-
tween labor and capital must be set
tied and reduced to a minimum upon
the broad platform OF equity and JUS
tice to both sides to the controversy.
The vast gulf between them must be
closed. Employer and employee should
believe in arbitration Of disputes as
. matter of principle. It is an advance
ment in civilization and progress. and
can labor organizations do anything
to clog the wheels Of progress and sur
vive? No demand made by them. II
based on Justice. can long be refused.
Though often used as a synonymous
term, there Is a wide difference be-
tween arbitration and Cancellation. To
arbitrate is to determine cause from
a hearing Of parties interested and
Weighing impartially all matters truth
fully set forth. To conclliate is to win
over one side to the other. With this
understanding Of the two terms and
applying them to the uses or require
ments of organized labor, 1t becomes
evident that arbitration should be re-
sorted to in all cases of industrial
strife. In no single instance has there
ever been a strike or lockout where
all the right was vested with one side
and all the wrong on the other. While
the eliminating steps may be taken
by one party the fault primarily must
be shared, not equally perhaps, but
in some degree or other. At least two
people are necessary to a quarrel: a
man will soon weary quarreling with
himself.
The subject Of arbitration is receiv-
ing more study at the present time than
ever before. The old idea among
trade unions was that Of force. 1t was
a question Of might altogether. Right
seldom entered into the question Of
strike. II the union felt strong enough
to compel acquiescence in demand,
the demand was made without regard
to the rights of employers or anybody
else involved. AS result of such
methods strong opposition to the trade
unions developed in the public mind.
and there was scarcely public print
in the country that dared to utter one
word of encouragement or sympathy.
AS a result one after another the trade
organizations, even powerful ones like
tie knights of st. Crispin and the
Knights of Labor, went by the board.
OF all the old trade organizations the
tynooronhioa1 IIni0u (aS national
and international body (alone has had
continuous existence, having been
organized in 1852, for the simple rea-
son that it early in its career adopted
arbitration as method of handling
disputes, and its growth has been more
rapid and satisfactory to all parties
interested since the introduction Of
methods more in harmony with good
sense and intelligence of the times in
its treatment of craft interests in oil
questions between employer and en-
ploye. While the strongest as we'll as
Oldest organization for the unfolding
of wages in the country, yet notwith-
standing it's strength, 1t has never
been guilty of injustice to capital; 1t
has never been drawn into a wrangle
with the authorities. and has always
given a justiflable reason for whatever
that was found necessary.
The union Is business institution, is
carried on on business primo 'ple, and
Its chief officer is always appr0achable.
There is flexibility about its yegula-