Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18
Aids Voluntary Settlements.

The essential merit OF TINS plan is that
it brings about, or aids in bringing about.
a voluntary settlement. No record-ho
minutes OF the meeting are kept. The in
terviews are most informal. first with one
side and then with The other the media
tors expecting that they viii be received
with frankness and told truthfully and
sincerely the situation from the point OF
View OF the party with whom they are
then IN conference, and so. in that way,
they lead along until frictions which still
exist between the parties. and which they
themselves. perhaps, would be unable to
aliay, by this method relieved and a
settlement brought about. IL has this ad
vantage. this fundamental advantage, that
il is voluntary settlement: neither party
has been defeated. there is no Judgment
against anybody. there is no award which
is contrary to anybodys sense of justice.
and there is no sting Of defeat. Each
party can gay, can say truthfully, that
willie there was failure 70 get all they
thought they ought TO have, nevertheless.
they. upon consideration OF the whole
matter believed that the settlement effect
ed was in the best interests OF all con-
cerned. More than that. il brings about
the resumption of friendly relations and
the taking up at once of the work in
which both parties are mutually engaged.
That is the thing in which society is In
terested. That is the thing which the
community demands-not now II shall he
settled. but that il snail he terminated
and that the business of the country go
on uninterIuptedly.
II am very happy to say in this imme-
diate connection mat so far as | can OBJ
serve. the results of the controversies
with which | have been connected have
been the restoration Of even more { iendly
feelings than existed previous to the ac-
tual disturbance. that Is to say, sens
bile men-and men ON both SIDES are sem
sble men-do not precpitate ir.evanc's
without some reason and the failure to
secure what they think they are entitled
10. Of course. leads To more or less I'M
friendlneSs or bitterness of spirit. un-
kindness. want OF loyalty, won't OF inter
est n the work in which they are en-
gagged. and that naturally and necessarily
characteriZes disagreements of the kind
in question. II. has happened. 80 far a. 1
have had experience with the matte. that
when = settlement has been Elected afte"
NEGOTIATIONS have progressed. and by such
aid as the modiaturs were able to afford
by such adViC" as they felt justified In
giving. all that bitterness and unkiid feel
INK seems Il have largely disapp"a 'ef,
with the result that rela' ions of employer
and emploYe after the settlement are more
friendly. more Self-respectful more COM
sideratc or each other, than they were be-
fore the controversy arose.
Il WAS quite impressed on one occasion
after a bitter contest which continued
through three days and practically three
nights wien. a. last. the adjustment was
reached, the parties came together and
there was almost a veritabe love feast in
the room, which was very gratifying TO
me.
Il believe that in this plan there is tho
germ Of a valuable idea which may be de-
veloped to very useful results. II is GER
tainly au experiment. 50 20 speak along
the lire of composing the relations so all
inr,ortant between the public service cor
porAtions aGd their thousands and hun
drcds Of thousands Of employees. which
50 far has justified its trial. and the rec
ord | think. is one To which We may
lock with considerable satisfaction"