New-York tribune., 1908-02-20
The White Hnllsa
Washington. February IS. 1870.

Washington, February IS, 1908
10 tae interstate Commerce commissions
I am informed that a number OF railroad COM
panies have served notice of proposed reduc-
ton of wages on their employees one of them.
! the Louisville & Nashville. I'm announcing the
reduction, states that the drastic laws injmicaI
to the interests Of the railroads that have i'm the
past year or two been enacted by Congress and
the state legislatures are largely chiefly
responsible for the conditions requiring the re
duCti9n
Under such circumstances it is possible that
the public may be confronted by serious
industrial disputes, and the law provides that
. in such case either party may demand the
services Of your chairman and OF the Commis-
sIoner Of Labor as a board OF mediation and
Cancellation. These reductions in wages may be
warranted, or they may not. As TO this. the
pubic, which Is a vttaLy interested party.
form no Judgment without more complete
knowledge OF the essential facts and real merits
OF the case than II now has or than # pos
sibly obtain from the special pIeadings certain
TO be put forth by each side in case their dis
pute should bring about serious interruption 10
natural causes, the loss Of business being such
that the burden should be. and is, equitabIy dis
tributed between capitalist and wage worker the
public should know it. II 1t is caused by Iegs-
Iaton the public and Congress should know il,
and if it Is caused by misconduct in the past
financial or other operations Of any railroad.
then everybody should know il. especially If the
excuse Of unfriendy legislation is advanced as q
method of covering up past business miscon-
duct by the railroad managers a juStifiCa-
tion for failure 10 treat fairy the wage earning
employees of the company
a
railroad corporation and its employees offers Pc
Culiar opportunities TO any small number OF
eyi-dispOsed persons 10 destroy life and prop
erty and foment public disorder. OF course. If
life. property and public order are endangered
prompt and drastic measures for their protec-
riOn become the first plain duty All other
issues then become subordinate to the preserva-
tion of the public peace, and the real merits of
the original controversy are necessarily lost
from view. This vital consideration should be
ever kept in mind by all law-abidlng and far
sighted members of labor organizations
II is sincerely TO be hoped therefore. that
any wage controversy that may arise between
the railroads and their employees may find q
peaceful solution through the methods of
ciIiation and arbitration already provided by
Congress. which have proved 50 effective during
the past year. To this end the commission /
should be in a position 10 have available for /
any board of COnciliatiOn arbitration relevant I
data pertaining TO such carriers may become I
involved in industrial disputes. Should con- /
CIiatiOn fail TO effect settlement and arbitra- {
ton be rejected. accurate information should /
be available in order TO develop properly in
formed public opinion.
! therefore ask you To make such investiga- /
ton. both of your records and by any other
means at your command. Will enable you to
furnish data concerning such conditions obtain
ing on the Louisville & Nashville and any other
roads as may relate directly or indirectly 10 the
real merits of the possibly impending Contro-
yersy. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.