The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-04

strongly urged by Governor
~ Store in his annual mes
sage. but little needed by
the legislature. was compulsory arbi-
tlation. Considering how other pro-
POSED legislation of interest to labor
has been promoted by threats of labor
leaders to march hosts OF working
men to the state capital to intimidatc
the law makers, il may be we'll that
this subject of compulsory arbitra-
tior has been allowed to go over
Certainly the subject is too intricate
to he adjusted in an atmosphere of
fear.
Elt the intelligence of the country
is intent uppn solving the menace of
strikes. New remedies are being sug-
Sested frequently. civilization is re-
luctant To admit shat it can provide
no better court of trial for issues af-
fectine employment than the arena of
savage strife. It compels individuals
To adjust differences peacefully or
suffer punishment. Can it not COM
rel corporations and labor unions To
be like wise Suhordinat"d'
The New York Tribune. discussing
this theme, said yesterday: THE labor
situation in this country today pre-
SCENTS some features worthy of study
lay students OF social science The pre-
NuiliuG strike of the nlachinistS, which
Involves probably 10000 out OF the l50,-
O0o members ~ that trade. apparently
arose out of mistake or misapprc-
hcnsi0,i as To the real meaning of an
agreement into which the machinists
entered with their employers a year
ago. The employers declare that their
employees have broken II solemn bar
gain to refer all disputes to arbitra-
ton, and the employers now assert
that thcy will have nothing more to do
with union which seeks to bind them
but will not be itself bound. The ques-
ton which this raises in the minds of
studlous observers is whether some
tribunal should not he created which
could enforce the carrying out Of
agreements between labor and capital,
and also interpret unmistakaby the
terms of such agreements.
I
IN some parts of the country is shown
by the fact that bill will be intro
ouced at the next session of the Mas
sachusetts legislature providing for
the creation of industrial courts, whose
province il shall he tn hear disputes
between corporations and their en-
ploy&s and decide what shall he fair
minimum wage and "A fair maximum
Workday. If a corporation refuses to
pay such wage for such workday it
shall he tried by jury in the ordinary
courts, and If found guilty shall be
fined lightly for the first offence, heav-
ily for the second, and have it's charter
revoked for the third. 1t is not in-
tended to give the industrial courts
jurisdiction over individual or partner
ship employers. President Gompers of
the American Federation Of Labor is
working out the details of a different
plan by which II is hoped to form ma
tional or international unions in all
tradf. Conferences can then be held
between representatives of each of
these unions and the largest employ
ers of that kind of labor. At these
conferences agreements as To wages
and working hours will be reached
which will he binding on all employees
in the country belonging to the par
ticular trade represented at each con-
ference"
Until recently the attitude of the
average man concerning strikes not
iireGtly hitting him has been: Sick on
the asitators and let labor and capital
fight Il out, But people are discover
ing that his attitude is expensive.