The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-02-27
FOR INDUSTRIAL PEACE
Presidents Letter to Interstate
Commerce Commission Made Pub
he-Serious Industrial Disputes in
Prospect.

NSAA@A~1So SouA4A4s6l0l 11d6 HlD-
He-Serious Industrial Disputes in
Prospect.
Washington, Special-Serious in
dustrial disputes in prospect were in
the mind of President Roosevelt
when he wrote letter to the inter-
State commerce commission which
was made public. He says that in
formation has reached him, that on
account of the enactment Of drastic
laws by Congress and By various
State Legislatures, it is regarded az
necessary By railroad companies 20
reduce the pay Of their employees. He
points out that, under the law, eitn
er party may demand the services Of
the chairman Of the Interstate com
merce committee, and OF the Com
missioner Of Labor, as a board OF
Cancellation. He suggests, therefore,
that the Interstate commerce CON-
/ mission wage conditions on various
railroads as may relate, directly 0
indirectly to the possible Impending
controversy.
Tho Presidents Letter.
The full text OF the Presidents
letter Is as follows:
"The White House,
Washington, Feb. Is, 1908
To the Interstate commerce COM
mission: [ am informed that num-
Der Of railroad companies have ser
IF II
wages on then employees. One OF
them, the Louisville & Nashville, in
announcing the reduction, states that
"the drastic laws inimical to the in
terests Of the railroads that have lii
the past year or two been enacted
by Congress and the State Legisla-
tures,' are largely or chiefly respon-
sible for the conditions requiring re-
duction.
Under such circumstances it is pos
sible that the public may soon be
confronted by serious industrial dis
putes, and the law provides that in
such cases either party may demand
the services of your chairman and of
the Commissioner Of Labor as d
board of mediation and Cancellation.
These reductions in wages may be
warranted, or they may not. AS to
this the public, which is vitally In
terested party, can form no judgment
without rnnre complete knowledge
Of the essential facts and real ner-
it's Of the case than 1t now has or
than it can possibly obtain from thu
special pleadings certain to be put
forth BY each side in case their dis
pute should bring about serious in
terruption to traffic. II the reduc-
ton in wages is due to natural caus-
es, the loss of business being such
that the burden should be and is
equitabIy distributed between capi-
talist and wage workers, the public
should know it. IF it is caused b.
legislation, the public and Congress
should know it, ard if it is caused
by misconduct in the past financial
or other operations Of any railroad,
then everybody should know it, es-
peciallv if the excuse Of unfrierdly
legislation is advanced as a method
Of covering up past business miscon-
duct by the railroad managers, or as
justification for failure to treat fairly
the wage earning employees Of the
company.
Moreover, an industrial conflict be-
tween failroad corporation asd its
employees offers peculiar opportuni-
ties to any small number Of evil
disposed persons to destroy life and
property and fomer.t pnhl;c disord
or. Of course, if life, property and
public order are endangered prompf
and drastic measures for their rro
lection become the first plain duty.
All other issues then become subor-
dinate to the preservation Of tie pub
lie peace, and the real merits Of the
original controversy are necessarily
lost from view. This vital considera-
ton should be ever kept in mind by
all law-abiding and far-sighted men,
bers Of labor organizations.
1t is sincerely to be hoped, there
fore, that any wage controversy that
may arise between the railroads and
their employees may find peaceful
solution through the methods Of con-
ciliation and arbitration already pro
vided by Congress, which have prov
en- so effective during the past year
To this end the commission should
be in a position to have available for
any board Of Cancellation or arbitra-
ton relevant data pertaining to such
carriers as may become involved in
industrial disputes. Should concila-
ton fail to effect a settlement and ar
bitration he rejected, accurate infor-
nation should be available in order
to develop properly informed pnb-
lie opinion.
I therefore ask you to make such
investigation, both Of your records
and BY any other means at your com
mand as will enable you to furnish
data concerning such conditions OBJ
tanning on tht Louisville & Nashville
and any other roads, as may relate.
directly or Indirectly to the real mer-