Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-18


ments covering wage scales and conditions
of labor throughout the country, but
conspicuous feature Is the permanent agree
ment providing for the formal settlement OF
particular disputes. arising from time TO
time, by local and national boards or con-
Citation or arbitration.
1.-THE most recent movement toward ma
tional arbitration and Cancellation Is found
In the printing trade, an agreement having
been adopted by the American Newspaper
Publishers Association and the lnterna-
tional Typographical Union in March, 1901.
In the printing trade the practice OF adopt
Ing agreements covering the conditions OF
labor in separate establishments or locali-
ties has long been employed.
THE agreements between the Amalga-
mated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin
Workers and its employers consist chiefly
of piecework wage rates based upon the
sliding scale system. This is the only
trade in the United States in which sliding
scales have been permanently introduced.
AS the prices of bar iron, steel, tin plate,
&C., vary, the rates paid to different classes
of workingmen for producing ton or other
given quantity Of the product vary in a
definite ratio.
British Far Ahead.
Important as are the systems of collec-
tive bargaining and of trade arbitration
and Cancellation in the United States, they
are comparatively Insignificant beside those
In Great Britain. There the practices date
back to a much earlier time: they have
been extended much more widely, and they
are much more thoroughly systematized.
Because of this longer experience Brit
ish employers and employees nave estab-
lished very thorough and fairly permanent
systems in many trades. 1t Is especially
noteworthy that in not few instances they
have adopted standing written agreements
containing the constitution and rules of
procedure OF joint boards and conferences.
Such permanent constitutions and rules are
almost entirely lacking in the United
States. The reports of the British labor
department show no less than fifty-three
regularly established joint boards or con-
ferences which were in active operation
during the year 1892 A large proportion
of these cover numerous establishments
and many thousands of workingmen.
1T must not be supposed, however. that
these methods for promoting peaceful rela-
tons between employers and employees
have been universally adopted in Great
Britain or have altogether superseded
strikes and lockouts They are still con-
fined to the skilled trades, and apply to by
no means all of them. They have been de-
veloped most highly, perhaps, in the coal
mining industry and in the iron and steel.
cotton, boot and shoe and shipbuilding
trades.
State Boards of Arbitration.
''The only states in the Union in which
the boards of arbitration can be considered
as exercising any important influence upon
industrial relations are Illinois. Indiana,
Ohio Wisconsin, New York and Massachu-
sets.
THE laws of six other states-Iowa. Kan
sas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Missouri and
Texas-provide for the establishment of
local tribunals on the initiative of the par
ties to labor disputes, without creating
state boards, but in practice these laws
have been put to no use whatever, as tar
as can be ascertained The laws of Mis-
souri, and North Dakota authorize the COM
missioner labor intervene
disputes.
1.-The imme nsely important influence
which labor disputes upon the railway sys-
TENS of the country exert over the welfare
of entire communities has led the federal
government by virtue of its constitutional
Jurisdiction over interstate commerce, to
establish machinery for arbitration and
mediation as regards strikes and tockoutS
upon interstate transportation lines. An
act Of 1883 permitted the parties to any
such dispute voluntarily to create a board
of arbitration for the settlement of that
particular difference. There was, however,
no provision for the enforcement of awards.
In 1898 new act was passed, largely in
view Of the recommendations. of the United
States strike commission. appointed by the
President Cunder a provision of the act of
1889 to investigate the great railway
strikes of 1894. By this act either party or
both parties to a dispute upon an inter-
state transportation line may request the
Intervention of the chairman of the inter-
state commerce commission and the United
States commissioner of labor. These Off
GERS shall try by mediation to bring about
a peaceful settlement. or. if this attempt
fails they shall urge the parties to submit
to arbitration
"As yet there has been no case of arbi-
tration under this act. In the only instance
where an attempt was made to apply 1t
one of the parties refused absolutely to
arbitrate. 1t may, however, readily hap
pen that If a serious strike should occur on
interstate railways public opinion would
force the parties to arbitrate under this
law.
Foreign countries have not followed the
example of the United States in estab-
fishing central governmental boards of
bitration and Cancellation. In two of the
three Australasian colonies to be sure. we
have such general boards, but their nature
and powers are entirely different from
those of the boards In the United States.
Doubtless it is felt in the larger countries
that single central board could do little
to settle labor disputes throughout an en-
tire country with population many times
as great as that of most Of the American
states. On the other hand, several Euro
pean countries, as we'll as some of The En-
glish colonies, have passed statutes FOR the
voluntary establishment of local boards Of
arbitration and mediation. In most cases
these statutes appear to have accomplis led
little.
Compilation a Last Resort.
THE wide-reaching influence Of the great
er labor disputes upon the general public
interests has led many persons to advo-
cate compulsory arbitration, at least as
regards certain classes Of strikes and lock-
outs. AS yet, however, legislation estab-
fishing compulsory arbitration has been
enacted only in the Australasian colonies of
New Zealand and Western Australia. In
both of these colonies the system mas been
made very wide reaching.
Opinions as to the advantages al,d dis
advantages of the law differ greatly, and IT
is practically impossible to form con-
elusive judgment. The representatives CT
employers and workingmen who have tes-
titled before the Industrial commission have
almost uniformly opposed compulsory ar
bitration. Their arguments are more fully
set forth in the diges of testimony of vari-
GUS reports Of the commission. Several
state boards of arbitration in the United
States have also, from time to time ex-
pressed their opinion against compulsory
arbitration as a general principle anG enc
Or two Of the boards have specifically op-
posed 1t in any form. These boards III New
York, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. however
have favored compulsion In certain cases
especially as to disputes which, on account
of their bitterness and violence, endanger
life and the public welfare. or which. like
those on great ,Sailroad systems or on
street railways, entail great Inconvenience
and loss upon the public"