The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-11
Where Strikes Rre
Virtually Unknown
From the Springfield Republican.


nF EXCEPTIONAL practical interest touching
IN the labor problem, and especially timely in
" the United States at the present moment,
is Henry d. Loyd's little book, under the
title "a Country without Strikes" which de.
scribes the scope and operations OF tie com.
pusory arbitration law adopted about hve years
ago in New Zealand, a country which Mr.. Lloyd
has recentely visited for the purpose OF studying
its many and radical social and labor reforms.
An introduction by William p. Reeves, former
minister OF labor and author OF the arbitration
law, is feature Of the book.
Voluntary arbitration is now q familiar eXpe
dicnt in the United States and elsewhere 1t
has been deemed the only tolerable and practt.
cable kind ot arbitration. 1t has been the re-
sort of those who admit the need OF interven.
ton in the warfare Of labor and cabtal, and
who have asked and have received no satisfactory
answer to the questions: How can the DEGREES
| of a compulsory arbitration be enforced? Will
you compel workmcn to work against their will?
Win you compel capital to operate on losing
terms? And so we have had voluntary arhitra.
ton boards created which volunteer their services
| and rarely have them accepted. They have
| simply been iosled aside as workmen and
ploycrs come to blows, and are almost invariably
just as interested and as helpless spectators OF
the strike as the general public.
Before pressing a scheme OF compulsory arb-
| tration upon the New Zealand parliament, Mr..
| Reeves studied the workings Of voluntary arbi-
| tration wherever applied. lie found it univcr-
| sally useless, or practically So The ha-sachu.
sctts board seemed to him the most efficient d
| the lot, hut we have only recently pointed to
| the fact that the state is paying 5000 year
| to each Of these arbitration commissioners for
| services which have not been generally OF visi-
| which
| becoming more and more imperceptible And
yet tlis New ZealandeT tells that the fault is
not with the commissioners. II is with the
| system, which is described by him a sham.
| The New Zealand compulsory arbitration law
| the only one in the world Of actual application
| grew out Of the maritime strike OF ten wears ago,
which spread untold losses and bitter feeling and
suffering all over the colony. The ldborcrs were
defeated in that strike, but it proved TO be the
most notable single victory ever won by the
| workingmen. Five years later, after much agi.
| tation and persistent pressure in parliament
from the minister OF labor, the present system
was adopted, and it is almost enough TO say for
| it that there has not since been a strike worth
mentioning throughout New Zealand. The law
does not force arbitration upon the disputmlts-
| though it may later be amended to do So II
| forces arbitration only appeal from either
one or both Of the parties in dispute. Once an
| appeal has been made, the case goes through to
an award, and both parties must abide by It.
There are boards of conciliation which Arst
hear cases Then Judge Of the Supreme court
Of the colony, selected for the purpose. sits
as court of arbitration to give judgment and
award eases coming up from the Concliation
boards. Lahorer are encouraged to organize in
unions, which are incorporated by law. Manu-
hcturers or employers may also organize or
| combine This secures 0 responsible financial
| body the part Of the workmcn, with which
the state can deal in enforcing its awards the
Ucnaltes being fines. II any organized body Of
| lahorcrs-and seven men in any ono employment
can form themselves into union under the law
| il any such body Of men have a grievance, such
as insufficient wages, they can appeal to the
local board Of conciliation, and thereupon their
employer must come before the board with
them, whether he wants to or not. The state
Of his affairs ia then inquired into. HIS books
are subject to inspection, and he can state his
side Of the case. Tho men present their side
and are Obliged TO do this themselves or through
one or more Of their number no hired counsel
being wanted or allowed Meantime work goes
on at the factory as il nothing had happened
II the final award is for higher wages the en-
poyer must concede the point II he refuses
he is fined, and the is revived against him
by tho men. and he would thus be fined again
and again until he yielded, or chose to suspend
operations.
| But in fact little trouble has far been ex.
perienced in making the awards effective. Tho
court Of arbitration is very generally resorted to
for the settlements Of disputes, and its awards
are very generally accepted In good faith. An
important point is that the case for both side.
is given publicity the facts upon which the
award is hasod-aside from the warrantablc husi.
ness secrets Of the employer-are available to all,
and public opinion is thus brought IN as an i'm.
portant factor in bending the one side or the
other to the decree. Other advantages secured
by the law besides industrial peace, are a uni.
fornity Of wages Tor like work in like trades,
which extends, 10y force of example. from the
decree ot the court in a single case throughou
the colony Wages and terms are fixed 90 that
manufactures can plan their business and enter
into contracts without fear OF labor disturbance
and worl,mcn, In confidence as to the future
never known before, can marry, buy land and
build homes. As yet the operations Of the Law
are confined pretty closely 10 manufacturing in
dustry, hut It will doubtless in time be extend
ed to other industries. and also to the govern
ment itself, as railway employer and otherwise
o
IL is enough, further, 10 say Of the act that
IL now has the support ~ all parties in the col
ony, and that OF the conservative as well as tha
Of the radical classes. So valuable Is ndustria
peace to both workmen and employers that botl
are willing 10 strive for IT, and their support o
this law proves that IL Is ehecting such a peac,
! and the security and prosperity 10 business whcl
! | suss grow out Of it, The story told IN thi