Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-12-18
Senator Cullom to Introduce
Bill Providing For Tribu-
nal on Unique Lines
FORCE OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT
The Object of This Bill Is to Provide
Means Whereby Public Sentiment
May Be Brought to Bear Directly
Upon Labor Troubles-speedy Set
Element of Differences Possible.
ect Of This Bill Is to Provide

Washington. Dec, Ex-senator Cul-
! ion of Illinois. chairman of the sen
/ ate committee on foreign relation
viii introduce a bill next week proyii
len unique lines The bill has been
prepared by Volney w. Foster of Chi
cago. who described it as the crystal
| lization, the capitalization and scien-
tific direction of public sentiment"
| Public sentiment, he holds, is Il force
which eventually settles disturbances
between capital and labor. wherever
| it can bring its forces to bear.
| The object of the bill is to provide a
means whereby public sentiment may
be brought to bear directly upon labor
troubles.
The bill creates a tribunal of six
members, five of them to be appointed
by the president and confirmed by the
senate, and the sixth to be secretary
of commerce and labor, who shall have
no vote. The arbitrators are, of course,
to be men of high character and abi-
ity. They are to serve, six years. a t a
salary of $4,000 per year. The tribunal
is to acquire jurisdiction over any dis
pute only on the voluntary application
of one or both parties to the conten-
ton. When application is made the
board is to furnish blank forms to the
contestant, who will fill out the details
of his side of the case and subscribe
to its truth.
The tribunal shall thereupon furnish
to the other party a copy of this COM
plant. with an invitation to submit the
case to the tribunal for arbitration If
the second party agrees to arbitrate
the differences and to accept the YER
dict of the tribunal. an investigation ST
the entire case will follow, the parties
being required to maintain the status
quo until the decision is rendered. The
decision will be retroactive to the date
of the complaint, thus preventing de-
lay IN bringing about a settlement. In
cases where the parties agree to arbi-
trate and the tribunal decides the
question at issue, only the bare de-
cision of the tribunal is to be made
public.
In case, however, the proposition to
arbttrate Is refused by the second
party. the tribunal Is required to mako
public the complaint of the party pro-
posing arbitration, with the fact that
the second party was Invited to arbi
trette the matter and refused TO do So
Then, according 10 the Trainer of the
bill. public opinion viii do the rest
Or If after having accepted arbitra-
ton. one Of the parties should refusl
to abide by the decision of the arbitra-
ton. the tribunal Is required to make
public the complaint and answer. to-
gether with an abstract of the evddenc.
adduced. showing the basis for the de-
c!sion reached.
In this event. also, the public being
made acquainted with he facts. i'm
partially passed upon by tribunal OF
the highest standing. will quickly de-
eide for itself which party is in the
right. 1t is provided IN the bill that
the decisions of the tribunal shall be
positive or negative on specific, num-
berea points covering The question at
issue. There can be no half way ce-
cision. But room is made for compro-
mise at any stage of the proceedings
by giving both parties leave to modify
their specific points of difference Thus
the tribunal win retain its high char
acter and dignity. without preventing
speedy settlement OF differences where
the parties find they can compromise |