New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
LEWIS EXPLAINS BILL.
arbitration Measure Not Compul-
sory-Protectg the Public.
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Albany, jar Ex-senator LeWis's arbitration bill
s attracting favorable attention from legislators
who have taken the trouble to study H. II #
marks sa Important step IN the solution Of strikes
on public service corporations as II aims to DO the
method q its construction is likely TO be carefully
Considered in framing future Laws. Senator Lewis
Who comes from Rochester and whose district in
Grdes large number OF workingmen. spent his
entire vacation last year fishing on Lake Ontario
sad framing his arbitration bill.
1T seemed 10 ne" said the Senator TO a Tribune
correspondent to-day. that man II able 10 think
70 purpose st all can do so by getting OF by him
self in favored spot where he knows the bass
VII bite, and Dondering matters while he is bait
ing his hook and landing three-pounders. At such
times he is a. peace with the world In a liberal
frame Of mind. disposed 20 give every fellow g
square deal. and, while feeling generous TO ones
brother man. he can maintain such regard for
American institutions not 10 make the mistake
q letting socialism carry him of his feet. believe
have got about the right thing in my arbitration
OIL, and ! wish people interested IN the subject
Of settling strikes would. before indulging in crit
csn OF Il. carefully read il. and II they can Go
better Continuing, he said:
The arbitration bin introduced by me has been
Improperly called compulsory" arbitration bill I
say improperly. because there Is nothing cOnpul-
Eory about such arbitration. The bill provides sim
ply that employees Of public service corporations
tha4g ss condition precedent 10 their employment
shall provide that they shall not leave the service
oi such CORPORATION without g reasonable notice
. such CORPORATION, fl order that Il may have
Opportunity 10 I'll The vacancies caused by their
resignation
The bin proceeds on the theory that there are
three parties 70 every controversy between public
service corporations and their employees. The first
&c most important party is the public. for the
SooPenlence OF which the corporation was created.
ne whole theory Of the bin is that when the
public, through Us Gully authorized agents and Of
Acers, has created corporation for the purpose Of
s.tlag the public, such service should continue
ellnout Interruption regardless of the fact that diff
icuiues may arise between such corporations and
me men employed by them. 10 IS compelled
. enter into The employ Of any railroad company
or o.her pubic service corporation but by the pro
q such a corporation he would be required TO sign
ne contract provided for therein. Having signed
slA contract. the biu provides only for Tea-
tona5ie method Of enforcing Il
Ine Individual citizen who enters into & contract
q that cortrat T7r6er some CircI1Instarces he c-
sascl end instances are not wanting where :ndi-
touGk have been punished by the courts for z
ttsFe been entered into by them The public in
isFests require the maintenance OF standing army
80 voluntarily enlist In such army and. having
the rsr1 ~ f6sir t1l,..-Ie-t sy5 To- rsf,,ss1 So
&c eists finds IL necessary 70 maintain a National
s-aro. and once man has become q member OF
- - organization he is compelled 10 perform the
tslS tS o. member thereof and IL time OF neces-
80 ne ie even compelled 10 leave his employment
ssng the peace and FOR refusal so 70 do he Is
fsDe fo4e 70 Punishment. either By hne or imprfson-
-. fstter myself that the bill which have pre-
~a.t- PROVIDES a reasonable, Just and workable
e.n lDoIauons 20 which the bin applies and the
- ,t9i4l!9yed by such corporations and that once
49, 49, railroad and Other strikes VIII become a
fsef ,Lae ~ Lae PAST. ana the people who have di
-. interest IN the subject matter of controversies
fo,"ssn SUCH companies and their employees will
fL,he he disconmoded. inconvenienced, and often
fsuse OF the Interruption Of trafc or the diseo5
-Ice OF operations by that class Of corporations.