Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-23
TO PREVENT STRIKES
Bill Introduced in Canadian
Parliament.
ARBITRATION BOARD
REFERS PARTICULARLY TO RAIL-
WAYS AND THEIR employees.
influence Of Public Opinion, It is Be
ieved, Will Compel Adherence
to the Findings.
ARBITRATION BOARD
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

special correspondence of The Evening Star.
OTTAWA, Canada, May 20, 1903
TO prevent labor troubles on railways
by influencing public opinion might prop
erly be the title of a government measure
winch Will shortly become law in Can
ada. This measure originated and is intro
duced into parliament by Sir William Mu
lock, who, among other offices, holds that
OF the minister of labor He is enthusiastic
in support of his idea, and has secured the
Endorsement of the entire cabinet, thus in
surfing its enactment into law without ma
terial amendment
The Canadian government proposes.
through commission, to arbitrate all diff
ferences between railway employers and
the employed. The effectiveness of the
arbitration is to depend entirely upon the
Influence of public opinion upon the two
| parties engaged in the controversy. That
is to say, no method of enforcing the de-
c1slon is provided in the proposed law, the
theory being that if the report favors the
railroad public opinion will not support
the employees In continuing the controversy
and vice versa, thus bringing all troubles
to an end by withdrawing public support
from the side of the controversy declared
by the commission to be in error.
The First Bill.
The minister of labor introduced an arbi-
tratlon measure in parliament year ago,
but found that it did not receive the in
dorsement of the labor unions. He has re-
vised and simplified the bill, however, and
eliminated many prominent features there
from, with the result that the bill as intro
duced this year finds little or no opposi-
ton. The bill of last year was known as
the railway arbitration act, and made it
unlawful for railway company to declare
or cause lockout in respect to it's en-
ployes, and provision made for fine
for the violation Of this law to equal in
amount the wages, salaries other remu-
neration paid to the employees affected. 1t
was also made Illegal for any employee to
go on a strike and any employe so striking
was to be fined an amount equal to the
wages which he would have earned during
the time he was on the strike. To incite a
lockout or to incite a strike was also made
illegal, and provision was made for fines.
"A permanent board was to be created for
each province. The offices We're to be cleo
tive, and the board was to consist of three
members. There was also to be national
or dominion board of five members. When
the labor disturbance was local and con-
fined to one province the provincial board
was to handle the dispute. Where it be-
came inter-provincial the matter was to be
taken care of by the dominion board
Power was to be given these boards to
summon witnesses, books papers and other
documents required. Proceedings of the
board were to be either public or private,
as 1t might determine. In case any rail-
way company willfully refused or declined
to abide by the decision of the arbitration
board 1t was made subject to a fine but
apparently no provision was to be made for
Furnishing an employee in case he did not
abide by the decision of the arbitrator.
The Present Measure.
The measure as proposed this winter
provides that whenever labor difference
exists between any railway employer and
railway employees and it appears to the
minister Of labor that the parties thereto
are unable satisfactorily to adjust the
same, and that by reason of such difference
railway lockout strike has been or
is likely to be caused or the operations
of the road interfered with, the minister
of labor may either on the application of
any party to the difference or on the APP
plication of the corporation of any NUM-
cipality affected by the difference or of his
own motion cause inquiry to be made into
the same and the cause thereof and for
that purpose may establish a committee of
Cancellation, mediation and investigation,
to be composed of three persons to be
named, one by the railway employers one
by the railway employees and the third
by the two named
1t shall be the duty Of the Cancellation
committee to endeavor by Cancellation and
mediation to assist in bringing about
amicable settlement Of the difference to
the satisfaction of both parties and to re-
port it's proceedings to the minister of
labor. In case the Cancellation committee
is unable to effect an amicable settlement
by Cancellation or mediation the difference
is to be referred to arbitration. If ac-
ceptable to both parties the Cancellation
committee may act as a board of arbitra-
| tors. In case of objection by either party
| to it's representative on the Cancellation
committee acting as member of the
board Of arbitrators new representative
on the board of arbitrators shall be APP
t. tia La rfori,,n I
| members of the Cancellation committee
were appointed.
| In case of arbitration the findings and
| recommendations of majority shall be
| those of the board. The board is to be
required with all reasonable speed to make
| to the minister of labor a written report,
| setting forth the various steps taken by
| the board for fully ascertaining all the
| facts and circumstances, and the findings
made therefrom. including the cause of
| the difference and the boards recommen-
| dations. with a view to it's removal and
| the prevention of It's recurrence.
Reports to Be Published.
| The minister is to cause this report to
| be filed in the Office of the department and
COPIES to be sent free of charge to the
| parties concerned, all municipal corpora
| lions and all newspapers in Canada. 1t
| shall Furthermore be published without de-
| Law in the Labor Gazette and be included
In the annual reports VI lue government.
| The board Is to have full power to sum-
| mon witnesses and per diem and mileage
| provision is made for those in attendance.
| railways are to be compelled to furnish
| their books upon demand. No counsel or
| solicitor is to appear before the board ex-
cent with the consent of all parties to the
! difference. and even then the board may
| refuse to allow counsel or solicitors The
| parties to the difference are to be repre-
scented in person or by agents.
This is in brief the law under which Cam
| ada proposes to prevent any interruption
| in railway traffic throughout the dominion,
| and it applies not only to steam railways
| but to street railways and all other trans
portation routes operated by steam. cleo
| tricity or motive power of any description.
| The law practically prpvides for compulso-
| nv arbitration but II VIII be noticed that as
| compared with the btilsintroduced last win
| ter It is greatly emascsaated. Lockouts and
| strikes are not made Illegal. there is no
provision against incittpg strikes and there
are no fines and penalties provided for nom
! acceptance of the verdict of the arbitration
| committee.
Influence of Labor Organizations.
| The present changed form of the bill is
due to the influence of the labor organiza-
&,ors rha, ORC annarently willing 10 RIM