New-York tribune., 1901-06-03
ARBITRATION A CURE.
LABOR SITUATION PRESENTS
FEATURES WORTH STUDY.
SEVERAL PLANS on FOOT TO PREVENT
STRIKES. BUT NONE THAT WINS
UNIVERSAL APPROVAL

The labor situation in this country to-day pre-
sents some features worthy of study by students
of social science The prevailing strike OF the
machinists which involves probably seventy
thousand out of the one hundred and fifty thou
SD members of that trade. apparently ~~--e
out of mistake misappTehensiOn as TO the
real meaning of an agreement into which the
rnachinists entered with their employers a year
ago. The employers declare that their employees
have broken solemn bargain to refer all dis
putes arbitration. and the employee ~
assert that they will have nothing more 70 do
with union which seeks to bind them but will
not be itself bound. The question which this
raises in the minds of studious observers is
whether some tribunal should not be created
which could enforce the carrying out of agree
ments between labor and capital. and also in
terpret Enthusiastically the terms of such agree
ments
That such end is being aimed at in some
parts of the country is shown by the fact that
a bill will be introduced at the next session OF
the Massachusetts Legislature providing for the
creation of industrial courts. whose province IL
shall be to hear disputes between corporations
and their employees and decide what shall be a
fair minimum wage and fair maximum work.
day. If corporation refuses to pay such wage
for such workday il shall be tried by jury in
the ordinary courts. and if found guilty shall
be fined lightly for the first offence. heavily for
the second and have it's charter revoked for the
third 1t is not intended to give the industrial
courts jurisdiction over individual or partner
ship employers.
AGAINST ALL COMPULSION.
That the idea of compulsory arbitration, how.
ever. is not pleasing 70 the American laboring
will be seen by interview published
herewith, given yesterday to Tribune reporter
by labor leader in this city.
President Gompers of the American Fedora
tion Of Labor is working out the details OF a
different plan by which it is hoped TO form
national or International unions in all trades.
Conferences can then he held between repre-
sentatives of each of these unions and the
largest employers Of that kind Of labor. AT these
conferences agreements as to wages and work.
ing hours will be reached which will be binding
on all employees in the country belonging to the
particular trade represented at each confer
ence. This is not new.
The International Association Of Machinists
meets in Toronto. Canada. to-day. and will con-
slider the merits of the strike. II it is not too
late TO resort 10 arbitration, many hope that
the conference will attempt to bring the dispu-
tants together
BUSINESS INTERESTS HURT.
The harm which this strike may infiict upon
the general business community is well illus
trated in Scranton, Penn. where the merchants
fear the removal of several large industries from
their city 10 localities where the strike fever is
less prevalent The local Board Of Trade IS
endeavOring to mediate between the machln1st5
and their former employers. hoping TO avert
from Scranton this threatened blow TO the cttys
prosperity. but is said TO have met little en-
coura cement from the labor party so far
The practical collapse of the strike on the
rapid transit tunnel in this city is held by some
to be a hard blow for the labor unions which
would not, at least did not. seek 10 re1er
their troubles TO arbitration. If they had, they
would probably have done better. The strike
will in all probability be formally declared or
to-day or tomorrow.