Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-22

oSseod taat tHe new state board of mediation and arbitration be called in to settle the local strike. This board has Just succeeded in settling strike at New Haven, and we see no good req son why the board could not accom- plish something in Waterbury in the way of bringing the two sides together. The Hartford Times discussed the question editorially last evening. It gives the company all the best of the argument, which is hardly fair under the circumstances, however We print the article in full: ''The street railway strikes at Bridgeport and Waterbury are now so near an end that it would appear advisable for the state board of mediation and arbitration to step in and endeavor, in the interest of those communities, to effect final settle ment of the differences between the company and it's men. Reports from both cities indicate that the strikes have practically failed. The cars are running regularly, mostly with new hands, but with many of the old em- ployes in their places on the platform. The effort to force the company to as- sent to the strikers demands, by induc- ing union men and other sympathizers to withhold their patronage from the cars, is now only partially effective. Sympathy for the strikers has given way to the needs of daily life in the case of those who have long distances to go to and from their places of enl- ployment and the patronage of the cars in both cities is now little short of the usual volume. Yet reports from both cities indicate that some of the more active sympathizers with the strikers still withhold their patronage and will probably continue to do so, with all the attendant inconveniences, until the strike Is formally declared off This is only a matter of personal choice, it is true, but there is the further consid- eration that the existence of strike troubles in community, however inef- fectual the strike may have become, is harmful to the relations between man and man and that the sooner change may be brought about the better In view of the fact that the company. has offered various concessions as to the re-employment of the strikers and oth- erWise, and in view also of the condi- tions above referred to, it would appear to be proper time for the state board of mediation and arbitration Gas it is officially known) to take the matter into consideration. It is true that the board has not been invited to act by either of the contending parties, as in the New Haven affair, but it has full authority under the law of the state. In fact, the statute is somewhat man datory in it's nature. Section All reads that Whenever a strike or lock out shall occur, Or is seriously threat ened and it shall come to the knoWl- edge of the board, 1t shall proceed, as soon as practicable, to the locality of such strike or lockout, put itself in communication with the parties to the controversy, and endeavor by media ton to effect settlement of such strike or lockout; and may inquire into the causes of the controversy and may subpoena witnesses and send for per sons and papers It will be observed that the law merely authorizes the board to make an Investigation, but gives it no power to make any decis- ion which shall be binding. In the New Haven case, however, the master work men and their journeymen made an agreement with the board and with each other that they would be gov erned by whatever decision the board might reach. Will the railroad com pany and the strikers at Waterbury and Bridgeport finally agree to have their differences settled in this easy and sensible way?"