Kansas City journal., 1898-02-25
Arbitration for Railroads.

From the Washington Post.
The Kansas City Journal makes some
pointed comments on report from this
city that the senate committee on educa-
ton and labor has decided by Il unanimous
vote TO report favorabIy the bill recently
introduced in the senate by Senator Kyle,
providing for the arbitration of railroad
strikes by a board of .arbitrators to be
chosen by the strikers and the interstate
commerce commission.
Our Kansas City contemporary hopes. for
the credit of the committee, that no such
action has been taken. 1t says that the
fundamental principle of arbitration is that
the interests of both parties affected shall
be equally protected, and to this end that
either both parties or neither shall be rep
resented in the arbitration tribunal. And
il adds that the absurdity of an arbitration
measure which gives one side to contro-
versy full representation on the board and
the other none at all, is too apparent for
serious argument.
AS the Post has on several occasions
clearly shown; there can be no such thing
as compulsory arbitration. 1t would be as
sensible to talk of compulsory volunteer
effort, or of forcing man to act of his
own volition. Any plan for the adjustment
of disputes by arbitration which does not
proceed upon a clear recognition of this
fundamental fact will be worse than n
failure. An act of congress based on the
preposterous absurdity of a so-called ar
bitration without the agreement of both
| parties would be set aside by the courts,
and every lawyer. and nearly every in
| telligent citizen. would know that the
courts were doing their duty.
Another arbitration bill is pendirG-this
one in the house of representatives-of a
| very different character from that one
| which our Kansas City contemporary cau-
| tcriZes. 1t Is stated that it meets the ap-
| provdl of the railway labor organizations
and that the companies do not object to it.
| This measure starts out with the declara-
tion that all wages paid to railway en-
| ployes shall be reasonable and just" a
proposition that will evoke no opposition
| from any quarter. The bill provides that if
| there is a disagreement between a road and
| its employees over what are reasonable
and just" wages or over any other question
| the chairman of the interstate commerce
commission and the commissioner of abor
| are to act as medators and endeavor to
| settle the controversy. But if this effort
| fails and if the parties to the dispute agree,
| then board of three arbitrators is to be
named The railroad and the employees are
| each to choose one. The two will select
| the third member.
Both parties having decided to arbitrate.
1
| just as they are pending arbitration, and
| they must further promise to carry out the
award in good faith. 1t is provided that the
| employees must not quit work and the en-
| ploying road must not discharge its en-
| ployes during the ensuing three months,
and the question in dispute must not be
brought up again for the next twelve
months. The Chicago Tribune. referring to
| this measure. says:
| IF such law as this were in force II
| could do no harm and might occasionally
| do good by settling in an amicable manner
| controversies which might otherwise lead
| to railroad strikes, which do so much harm
and cause such general Inconvenience II
| the parties agreed to arbltrate in only one
| case out of ten, it would be that much
| gained.
This bill provides for voluntary not
| compulsory. arbitration. Any awards
| which arbitrators may make could not be
| enforced. But there is no reason to believe
| that the decisions of arbitrators would not
| be lived up to. The railroads would no,
| violate their pledges. nor would the large
| and conservative organizations of railway
| employees.
| Congress cannot do better than to pass
| this bill, SO that there may be an oppor-
tunity to test 1t and see how it will work "
A measure that cannot do harm and
| holds out a fair promise of doing much
good is certainly deserving of a trial.