The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-04-05
ALL Controversies
To BE- SETTLED By
GOVERN BOARD
Especial TO The Messenger


: thorities express the opinion that the
! time is coming when the railroads and
their employees will submit all contro-
7 yersies relative to wages, Lours o.
service and conditions OF employment
to government boards rather ;han un-
derso the distressing experiences that
usually follow strikes and partial tie
ups. Congress has provided the ma
chinery WHEREBY mediation and arbi-
tratiOn shall be applied 10 labor dis
putes in the railroad world. This ma
chinery is found in the mediation
and arbitration" act OF 1895 which Ios
a Ions time was not invoked owing 10
the distrust Of railway employers and
railway employees.
a fair test OF the efficiency OF the law
is now being made in the differences
between the Southern Pacific Railroad
company and lis employees growing
cut OF the strike OF the latter because
Of dissatisfaction over wages and other
matters. Both sides 40 the controyer-
81 having siSnifed a Willingness
10 submit their troubles 10 a board Of
arbitration, steps We're taken by the
chairman Of the Interstate Commerce
commission and the commissioner Of
labor to bring them together. The i'll
dicatiOns are that an award will be
made satisfactory alike 10 the railroad
and its employees.
The mediation and arbitration act
of 1898 applies to common carriers,
then officers, agents and employees.
1t provides that whenever a cOntrOYer-
sy shall arise between q Garner and
its employees, seriously in~terruptlng
or threatening TO interrupt the bust
ness of the said carrier" the char
man OF the Interstate Commerce COM
mission and the commissioners shall,
upon the request of either party, use
their best efforts by cancellation and
mediation to amicably settle the diff
f~erences between employers and era
ployees. If mediation fails then the
law offers the alternative OF arbitra-
ton Mediation was tried in the casa
of the Southern Pacific, but without
results. Arbitration was then pro2os-
ed, and it was adopted.
Chairman Martin A. Knapp, of the
Interstate Commerce commission. ;s
of the opinion that before long arbi-
tration will become fashionable in the
transportation world. 4 regard this
law as we'll conceived and sound in
principle" he said. 1T goes about as
far as useful legislation of this kind
go. We hear more or less about
arbitration. That, 70 nv
mind, is a contradiction of terms. The
TO which a party to a contro-
Versy can be brought against his will
is not in any true sense arbitration,
because the very idea of arbitration is
a voluntary submission by both sides.
The practical difficulty in the way az
arbitration must come, IN
nature of the case, in the selection J
Of the third arbitrator. Under the |
of 1895 the two parties each select |
rs representative on the board and the !
government through the chairman oil
he Interstate Commerce commission
the commissioner of labor, names |
he third. Each party to a difference |
as a matter of course. one in |;
sympathy with his cause. The method
If selecting the third arbitrator pro-
'ided in this act is about as good as
my that could be DEVISED
Frank H. Hitchcock. First Assist
mt Postmaster general, is one of the
most progressive officials in the gov
rnment service. He is q pT0digious
yorker, and it is largely due TO his eff
orts that the POstofice Department
as been organized on a modern bus
hess basis and sWcs ping reforms made,
tending to greater f~acilitatiOn in
handling and dispatch Of the Unit
d States mails. The following story
Illustrative Of Mr.. Hitchcock's meth
DIS. When he took charge of the
rst assistants bureau, M. Hitchcock
n that in the large cities of the
ountry horses and wagons were be-
lg used to a considerable extent in
lch work as collecting the mails. Bus
less houses We're using the antonio
lies for hauling, but no machines (
been purchased by the post office
apartment for such Nir. {
ltchcock summoned the official hay I
g the delivery service in charge ana {
id:
why can't VIZ use automobiles in
ailinG collections? Business men ,
e using them TO advantage. WHY
louIdn the government do the same {
=.
I'VE can't do it sir" was the re- q
Why not?" questioned Afr. Hitch Y
:
Because said the official, horses :.