The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-08-04
IT Is CoAPUl|| lSeRY
LAW OF NEW ZEA.
LAND IS DISCUSSED.
Henry ID. LlOyd's Book ON Labor Con-
tiOns in. New Zealand Dwells On
the Charming Effects OF COmpul-
sorry ArbitratiOn-The Law Would
be Il Failure In America Because
of the Methods Employed by Pol
itlcians.

the virtue Of compulsory arbitration as
| a means Of averting, or at least set
tling strikes and lockouts and New
Zealand has been pointed to as aptly
| illustrat ting the efficacy Of adopting
proper laws; laws which practically
make protracted labor disputes impos-
sible.
Henry D. Lloyd in his book on labor
! conditions in New Zealand shows how
arbitration-compulsory arbitration
works like charm and thus prevents
the enormous losses to employers and
employees that strikes and lockouts US
ually entail.
But it should be remembered that
the political and industrial conditions
that obtain in Britain's Tar away pos
session are much more congenial for
the satisfactory settlement of labor
troubles by arbitration than they are
here.
In the first place the reform party.
which is really labor party, is one of
the dominant political factors of the
colony. In the second place labor is
not so plentiful as it is on the Amer
lean continent. Hence the workers in
submitting their grievances to the pro-
per tribunal are certain of an impartial
hearing. The scarcer an article is the
more it is valued. The fewer the work.
ers the more they are respected-the
fairer they are treated.
Being a factor in politics the New
Zealand worker can demand and Sc
cure an equal standing with his en-
ployer before any properly constituted
authority empowered to pass judgment
| upon industrial differences. He has
| nothing to fear from the laws that
compel him to arbitrate disputes with
his employer. Not only has he moth
ing to fear but he has everything to
gain. He, as we'll as his employer,
know that the case will be settled upon
| it's merits and the suffering incident
| to a strike obviated. &.:
| In the United States and Canada
compulsory arbitration would be an ig-
nominous failure. Not because the
lWorkersS would be unfairly treated d~at
be treated
sc Il because the poll ticians
ossld tlle tate or -p,royIn-
III U emp ! IS lsfs.
las Sc they ywereSa a foot tball.s
| II q governor Of state was friendly
to labor, then majority of those form
ing the arbitration board would, in all
! probability, also be friendly to labor.
In that event labor would feel encour-
| aged to persist In demands whether
fair or unfair which the board would be
inclined to grant. Workingmen are not
infallible, and friendly board would
be an encouragement to make demands
that, to say the least, would hardly be
right.
Should board be appointed the per-
sonnel of which was hostile to labor
the employers would have an incentive
to increase hours of labor, reduce wages
workers. In fact the board would rep
resent the views of it's creator and nc
matter how its sympathie> ran, il
would make itself useless for good in
little time by being too friendly to eth
er side or the other.
Another argument, and good one
against compulsory arbitration is tha
neither of the parties to the dispute
would have word to say as to the
creation of the board.
But how about voluntary arbitration:
1t seems to us, all things considered
to be the logical means by which two
parties in dispute can come to a set
tlement without open rupture. Mos
labor organizations believe in voluntar,
arbitration and put their belief int
practical operation. too. Agreement:
are made with employers to settl,
whatever differences may arise by arbi
tration. Usually the methods of Sc
Letting the arbitrators are provided fo
in the agreement. as in the case o
many American unions. In this wa.
voluntary arbitration in. America be
comes as effective as compulsory arbi
tration in New Zealand and employer
il and employees are not compelled to ac
cept decisions from "a tribunal that ma,
be decidedly distasteful to one or bot
of the parties in interest.
The day may come when both EN-
, ployer and employe can expect abso
= lutely fair and just verdicts from tri
bunal organized under a compulsor
arbitration law, but that day is not We
, here.
, Mute erings of the Coming Storm.
E Trusts exist elsewhere. But Wha
e the people demand is that the republi
e can party shall deal with these paras
\ Sf0cy hot ft,