Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-21
PRESIDENT PLEASED
Gratifed Over Beef Strike
Settlement. @
HAD HOPED FOR PEACE
RESULT OF CONFERENCE HELPS
GENERAL ARBITRATION.
Permanent Boards Suggested Tor Large
Employers of Labor-Data
for Reports Gathered.

The agreement reached between the beef
packers and their employees throughout the
country to arbitrate the differences that
caused the employees to GO on strike ten
days ago is said to be source of deep graf
if1cation to President Roosevelt He has
been watching both sides Of the controversy
since its inception, and while he has not
personally entered into the matter as he did
in the case of the coal strike, it is believed
here that he would have done SO had not
settlement been in sight Those close to
him say that he realized fully what great
suffering to the poorer classes would have
ensued from prolongation of the STRIKE
not alone one from the loss of wages to the
employees who went out, but to, those of the
poorer classes who could not afford to pay
the increased prices for the products Of the
packers.
Those of opposite political faith have ac-
cused the President of being interested In
the matter purely from a political stand
point, but this charge is declared not alone
unjust, but absolutely untrue. The seri-
Gus financial strain put upon the beef con-
sumers Of the country has been or great
concern to him. and the conflict between
employers and the employed he realized
would result in great financial loss to both.
While 1t is not admitted at the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor that the
President issued direct Instructions to Sec
retary Metcalf to make special effort to
gather all the data concerning the strike
that was possible 1t is not denied and the
general air of secrecy. Heads to the belief
that he did SO, especially as no one will
for a moment attempt to deny the state
ment.
1t is known that during the, time of the
strike special agents Of both the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor and the De-
partment Of Justice were quietly circulating
among the strikers gathering such infOrma-
ton as might be of value not a}one for the
report that is to be made by the direction
of Congress, but for the general informa-
ton of the President and members of his
cabinet in framing legislation for future
use
On the other hand the settlement of the
strike by an agreement to arbitrate has
been source of gratifcatio not alone to
the President, but to all those who believe
that arbitration is the only solution of the
various problems that are of necessity
bound to arise between capital and labor,
especially In the larger institutions of the
country. 1t Is pointed out that the con-
cesslons made by one side to the other In
the settlement of the beef. strike were fair
and added very much toward the solution
of the trouble. 1t is pointed out that as
! long as there are unions of laboring men
and unions of capitalists there are bound to
be differences from time tostime. If not over
the question OF wages over some other
question that is likely to arise at any time,
and the suggestion has been made that per-
manent arbitration boards In every insti-
tuition where large amount OF capital Is
invested and large number of men are
employed would be of great benefit to both
the employer and the employed and would
save each side from the loss of large sums
of money.
1t is claimed that no matter which side
wins in a strike, both sides lose heavily in
the end and the general public as rule Is
made to be the largest sufferer