Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-10

not the slightest doubt that had a strike
order been issued 1t would have been com
Piled with by ~ per cent Of the men inter
ested.; To some extent ii OF
bluff. but II lucky for the country
that the BLUM was not called by either side.
Nhlie the employees got the better OF the
argument In the compromise effected, 1t
was only the splendid discipline In the labor
organizations that forced some OF the more
radical delegates TO accept the settlement
The railroad brotEerhoods have been fortu-
nate IN having able officers, and the result
is That the members have the utmost con
hdence in the ability and integrity OF ..,eir
leaders. This confidence in the good judy
ment of the officers contributed IN no small
degree to the success of the negotiations
The first offer OF the railroads to their
employees might be considered to have been
good one had no further concessions been
MADE The managers met the employees
more than half way at a time when hostile
legislatures In different states were seri-
ousiy curtailing the receipts of the roads
through reduced fares and other restrc-
tons.
They believed they not only had gone "a
Tar as they could, but that they had over
stepped the bounds of business sagacity and
onered more than was warranted under the
circumstances. 1t is hard to convince tho
average workman, however, that hts en-
ployer could not pay more wages than he
does pay, and the result OF the referendum
vote OF the railroad men showed them no
exception to this rule.
The first offer OF the roads amounted to
10 per cent to a ajority OF the men a re
duction OF two hours a day to the employees
on construction trains and about per cent
increase In wages to the others. In the
mai settlement the increase was AT least
~ per cent for all employees. and on some
roads amounted to much as II per cent
to the lower paid men.
An interesting phase OF the situation
was the attitude the managers took when
a strike appeared most probable. They
declared that they would make no atterlnt
to operate their roads. as such a thing
would be practically Impossible. They were
willing to put the whole matter up to tn.
public.
This is a new attitude for the railroads
or other corporations to assume In tho
past 1t usually has been the labor union
that was willing To have the public pass
Judgment on the fairness OF It's demands.
ms desire Of the railroads To stand stll
until the public demanded settlement
position. 1t was quite evident that they
were honest in their declarations that they
could go no farther than they did.
How far government mediation may ba
conflicts is of course problematicaI, but the
success which attended this effort Is likely
along the same lines. When the Erdmann
law was enacted in 1898 the measure was
strongly supported by the railroad brother
hoods.
This is the first time the mediation
clauses In II have been tried One. which
prohibits a railroad from d!scharglng an
empioye FOR no reason other than that he
Is u member of a labor organization, re.
Gently has been declared Unconstitutional
by two different judges. It is true a third
judge within the last few weeks has held
the law constitutional, so il Will have u
be determined finally by the United States
Supreme Court.
'P. Fl. Morrissey. grand master of the
Brotherhood OF Railroad Trainmen and 4.
b. Garretson, grand chief of the Order OF
Railway Conductors, both stood high in
the esteem OF men In the lapor world be-
fore the recent controversy arose. The al
titude they maintained throughout the
negotiations has added to their popularity
among their fellow-members and labor
men generally and has made the re-elec-
ton of both assured al their respective
conventions next month. There has been
70 talk OF opposition to Mr.. Morrissey. and
the opposition to Mr.. Garretson, which
never pronounced, has dwndled into
insgnifcance 1t is doubtful If he VIII
have an opponent for the office at the
opening of the convention. May IL.
To sum up the result of the negotiations
it may be said that the peaceful settle
ment of the controversy has done more tn
further the spirit of Cancellation between
employers and employees than any other
event in years"
In the current number OF the American
Federationist Thomas F. Tracy and Arthur
E. Holder Of the legislative committee OF
the American Federation of Labor give a
review of the work accomplished in the
way of labor legislation in the last session
VI Congress- III us report the committee
says that some ground was gained In the
way OF obtaining desirable legislation, and
more was ACCOMPLISHED in defeating meas
ures objectionable to labor unions.
The hope Is expressed by the committee
that more will be accomplished in the Six
tieth Congress. as some of the men who
have been most persistent in their oppos-
ton to labor measures by that time vii!
have Joined the ancient order of lame
ducks
The anti-iniunction bill was not taken
from the pigeon-hole where II has reposed
since the first session OF the last Congress,
but the labor men believe II was their ac-
tivity which prevented the passage Of bill
on labor injunctions introduced at the re-
quest of the employers. which would have
made legal the use OF the injunction I'm
what they believed a more aggravated form
than now exists.