Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-04
LABOR DISPUTES.
In Creating Arbitration Commission
Public Interest should be Recognized.

The commission appointed by the
president Oct. 10, 1902, at the request
OF both the anthracite coal operators
and miners, to inquire into, consider,
and pass upon the questions In contro-
Versy IN connection with the strike IN
She anthracite regions 70 Pennsylvania
and the causes out OF which the con-
troverBy arose, IN their report. findings,
and award expressed the belief that
the state and federal governments
should provide the machinery for what
may be called the COMPULSORY inYestl-
cation OF controversies between en-
ployers and employees when they arise .
This expression OF belief IL deserving
OF the favorable consideration Of the
Congress and the enactment OF IT'S pro-
visions into law A bill has already
been introduced To this end.
Records show that during the 20
years from Jan. /, 1851 10 Dec. 81, 1900,
there We're strikes affecting 1850 es-
tablishmcnts and 6l05.G9i employees
were thrown out OF employment. Dur
ing the same period there We're 1905
lockouts, Involving nearly 10000 estab-
lishments, throwing over 100000 people
out OF employment These strikes and
lockouts involved an estimated loss to
ployers OF $4,000 600, a total OF $780,
600 900 The public suffered directly
and Indirectly probably as great addi-
tIonal loss. But the money loss, great
aH It was. did not measure the anguish
and suffering endured by the wives and
children of employees whose pay stopped
when their work stopped. or the dis
astrous effect OF the strike or lockout
upon the business of employers, or the
increase IN the cost OF products and
the Inconvenience and loss to the pub
lc
Many of these strikes and lockouts
would not have occurred had the par
ties to the dispute been required to
appear before an unpreJudiced body
representing the nation and, face 10
face, state the reasons for their con-
tention. In most instances the dis
pute would doubtless be found to be
due to a misunderstanding by each OF
the others rights, aggravated by an
Unpillingness of either party to accept
as true the statements Of the other as
to the justice or injustice OF the mat
ters in dispute, The exercise Of a
judicial spirit by disinterested body
representing the federal government,
such as would be provided by COM
mission on Cancellation and arbitration
would tend to create an atmosphere of
nlendliness and Cancellation between
contcnding parties. and the giving each
side an equal opportunity to present
fully It's case In the presence Of the
other would prevent many disputes
from developing into serious strikes or
lockouts and, I'm other cases, would en-
able the commission 10 persuade the
opposing parties TO come TO terms.
lu this age Of great corporate and la
Dor combinations neither employers nor
employees should be left completely at
the mercy Of the stronger party TO a
dispute, regardless Of the righteousness
of their respective claims, The pro-
posed measure would be In the line of
securing recognition of the fact that
In many strikes the public has itself
an interest which cannot wisely be dis
regarded; an interest not merely of
general convenience, for the question OF
a Just aud proper public policy must
also be considered. In all legisla lion
of this kind II Is well TO advance eau
tlously testing each step by the ac-
tual results the step proposed can
surely be safely taken, for the decisions
OF the commission would not bind the
parties IN legal fashion and yet would
give "A chance for public opinion TO
crystalline and thus to exert It's full
force for the right.