New-York tribune., 1901-08-27
COMPULSORY ARRITR4TTON."

The present great steel strike. which Is not
vet so great as some hoped and many feared
has given rise to much talk about arhitraton'
which is we'll. and to some about compulsory
arbitration. which is decidedly not well. Ihere
is n certain sort of compulsory arbitration of
labor disputes in force in New-Iealand. when
applies. however only 10 those who have In al
vance voluntarily elected TO be subject 10 1t
and have siguifed such choice. That law
has formed the text for many hot-Gospeller
socialist sermon in favor Of system here which
should go one better" and. ignoring the New
Zealand principle of election, would take en-
plover and employc by nape Of neck, So 10 say
drag them into court willy-nilly and finally de
cree under dire penalties that shall employ
Il Oh such and such terms, and that shall
work for on such and such terms. All OF
which Is lamentahlc beyond expression.
For. however such system of voluntarily
accented compulsory arbitration may work in
New-Zealand with socialist government and
n constitution whose elasticity makes india rub
ber seem in comparison Ike adamant, any
system of compulsory arbitration with the
principle Of voluntary election left out is
simpIv impossible in the United States. espe-
cianv since the adoption OF that constitu-
tionaI amendment which prohibits slavery and
Involuntary servtude II man has contracted
TO work for another on certain terms he can by
civil process be held 10 the fulflment of that
contract, despite the ex cathedra !pSe dlNit ot
Mr. Shaffer; and, similarly, II one has contracted
to employ another on certain terms he can he
held 10 the fuldlment OF that contract generally
much more effectively than the man In the for
mer case But apart from such contract ohli-
cations for the enforcement OF which existing
laws and courts should certainly be adequate
there is no power between QuOddy Head and
the Golden Gate which can make one man work
for another, make one man employ another
or make a man conduct any certain business,
unless AT his own free will.
That principle, we should say. is absolutely
fundamental. II does not seem 70 be de
MED even in New-Zealand. Certainly in the
I United States men are free 10 work or not 70
work. TO engage in business or to Withdraw
therefrom. If they break any contract in so
doing they may he called to account in the
civil courts If they have any disagreement
outside OF contract Obligations they may settle
il in court or may submit II TO arbitration, il
they please under existing laws. But If they
do not please so 10 do there is no power under
the constitution of the United States that can
compel them, and no such power can be con-
stituted without giving the constitution the most
radical amendment It has ever known.
As for the much cited example Of NewZea-
land, some confidently declare that the sys-
TEN has been productive of great good, while
others including the distinguished socialist who
rules those Fortune Isles declare that il is
in Denman's words, "A delusion n mOcSery and
a snare; that II is productive Of more harm than
good and that it must speedily be abolished, or
else the industries of New-Zealand will go to
everlasting smash In such disagreement Of
proceed with caution in acting upon that ex-
ample.