New-York tribune., 1907-11-25
RAILWAY REGULATION
AR Important Experiment in Com
puIsory arbitration.
London, November

settlement and consequently extremists In ths
Labor party are critical and dlscontented. They
do not conceal their opinion that the traaa
unionists under the leadership OF Mr.. Richard
Bell have been Outmaneuvred by Mr.. Lloyd
George and the railway chairmen- As Mr. Mac
Donald explains the operation OF the new con-
ciliation boards, there will be no recognition Of
trade unionism, there is in New Zealand and
South Australia and assurance that the
grievances and claims Of organized labor will
be taken up. He assumes that free labor rather
than trade unionism win be represented IN the
various conciliation boards. and that anything
like all-grades cohesion win be impossible, and
that the federation of masters will carry every
point for the employers when the wOrkmen are
split up into sections. This implies that ths
Amalgamated Society. after expending from
$50 900 to $4,000 in rallying the workers and
obtaining explicit authority from them FOR or
dering q strike has enabled non-uniOnists to
talk over grievances and reforms with the rail-
way directors. From this point OF view It Is
victory for free labor rather than the trade
union; and organized labor will not be so IA
vorably placed in relation to the railway boards
it is IN conciliatlon councils established IN the
coal. iron and other industries. Yet in general
way something has been done for the main body
.of railway worEnen- Representatives can bs
elected for every sectional board and arbitra-
ton Is provided automatically. disputes are
not adjusted by conciliation-
An experiment is to be tried IN one OF ths
largest industries OF the country. Il Is the
tentative application OF compulsory arbitration
to railway controversies for seven years. While
the arrangement is terninable at the end OF that
period and cannot be enforced by any act OF
Parliament court OF law, IL has been author
tied by the Board OF Trade with the consent
4ta do
and is morally binding. 1t may not be law. but
1t is at least treaty, and public opinion viii not
sanction any violation of IT, For seven years
the community has adequate safeguard
against railway strikes, and the utility OF
system not differing essentially from compulsory
arbitration be tested The principle has not
been formally sanctioned either by the railway
chairmen or by the Amalgamated Society; and
the convention is described as "a voluntary
dertaking" Yet there is positive agreement
TO carry disputes and demands which cannot be
adjusted by direct processes Of Cancellation and
negotiation to arbitrators and to abide by their
decision. That opens the way for a most In
portant experiment which can hardly fail to
influence future legislation. If the tentative.
terminable scheme operates satisfactorily there
will be a strong argument for making larger
application OF compulsory arbitration TO other
industries and legaliZing It by act Of Parliament
Mr.. Ben. not being socialist himself. pays
little heed TO the reproaches OF extremists that
he has wasted opportunity for promoting
public ownership OF railways He knows that
so stupendous experiment IN cOllecttvisn
cannot be tried under existing financial eondi-
tions and that trade unionists themselves. while
they may thoughtlessly applaud reckless decla-
nation against private ownership OF railways.
prefer a generous scheme OF pensions FOR work
men over sixty-fve. Pensions and work for tha
unemployed are the main forms Of state social
ism TO which they are committed. and they win
be Indifferent to costly schemes OF railway pUr-
chase long these direct relief measures ars
withheld MT. Bell is more deeply concerned
when he is charged with taking away for seven
years. and possibly for all time the railway
workmans right 10 strike. That IS described
the only weapon with which the workman IS
armed, and the Amalgamated Society is crit
icised by disappointed trade unionis.s for re-
ducing the railway servants TO helpIessness.
Mr.. Bell can reply that instead OF disarmng
the workmen he has taken all questions relating
to wages and hours OF railway servants OF every
grade out Of the hands Of the employers and
put the directors under bonds to accept the de-
cisions OF arbitrators. This cannot be denied.
although It may be an open question whether
in practice there will be any material change
in wages and time schedules. Neither concilIa-
tion arbitration IS likely either to reduce
pay to lengthen working hours and the
shareholders can hardly expect to profit by en-
forced regulation OF wages and time. Whether
railway managers are coerced or servants dis
illusiOned. the experience will be extremely VAL
liable IN determining the practical operation OF
compulsory arbitration.
Mr. Lloyd George. who has been released from
the obligation Of introducing prematurely Iegts-
iation on the lines of this settlement has greatly
improved his own reputation as Cabinet ofi-
Cial of brilliant finesse and administrative Ca
pacity. His admirers are already talking about
him as the future Prime Minister but they
cannot safely dispose OF SIR Edward Grey and
other eminent colleagues with such abruptness
He has brought the Liberal party and trads
unionism into harmonious working relations
and that is an achievement which cannot pru-
IDENTIFY be belittled. 1t is wellnigh certain how
strike by voluntary agreement to accept arbi-
tratiOn for restricted period would have been
mpracticable without the Kings hearty coop
Grafton. There has been no unwarrantable
stralning Of the prerogatives Of the Crown. The
King Is a thoroughgoing non-partisan who
works equally well with government OF either
party What he does is to make use OF his own
resources Of influence for public rather than
political ends. 1t cannot be doubted thar he has
taken as deep an interest IN this railway treaty
as in any complication OF foreign AFFAIRS and
that the chairmen have been strongly Influenced
by him in the direction OF Cancellation and peace
The King is the most astute and resourceful
diplomatist in Europe and he has mastered ths
art OF managing l. N. F.