The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1908-02-28
TO Get THE FACTS
The President Asks Commerce Com
mission TO Be Prepared for
Possible Labor Troubles.
AMONG RAIL ROAD employees
The Roads Threaten to Reduce Wages
and information is to Be Sc
cured for Use in Case
of Strikes.

Washington, Feb. 20.-Serious In
dustrial disputes in prospect were in
the mind of President Roosevelt when
he wrote a letter to the Interstate
commerce commission Tuesday which
was made public Wednesday. He says
that information has reached him that
on account of the enactment OF dras-
tic laws by the congress and by the
various state legislatures, it is regard
ed as necessary by certain railroad
companies to reduce the pay of en-
ployes. He points out that, under the
law, either party may demand the SER
vices of the chairman of the Interstate
commerce commission and of the COM
missioner of labor as a board of con-
Citation. He suggests, therefore, that
the Interstate commerce commission
make such an investigation as will en-
able it to furnish data concerning wage
conditions on various railroads as mas
relate, directly or indirectly to the
possibly impending controversy. The
presidents letter, in part, follows:
Il am informed that a number OF
railroad companies have served notice
of a proposed reduction of wages on
their employees. One of them, the
Louisville &c Nashville, as announcing
the reduction, states that The drastic
laws inimical to the interests OF the
railroads that have in the past year
or two been enacted by congress and
the state legislatures" are largely, or
chiefly, responsible for the conditions
requiring the reduction,
Under such circumstances it is pos
sible that the public may soon be con-
fronted by serious industrial disputes,
and the law provides that in such case
either party may demand the services
of your chairman and of the commits
sioner of labor as board of mediation
and Cancellation. These reductions in
wages may be warranted, or they may
not. As to this, the public, which is
vitality Interested party, can form no
Judgment without more complete
knowledge of the essential facts ana
real merits of the case than 1t now
has or than it can possibly obtain
from the special pleadings certain to
dispute should bring about serious in
terruption to traffic. II the reduction
in wages is due to natural causes, the
loss of business being such that the
burden should be, and is, equitably
distributed between capitalist and
wage-worker, the public and congress,
should know it and if it is caused by
misconduct in the past financial or
other operations of any railroad, then
everybody should know it, especially
If the excuse of unfriendly legislation
is advanced as q method of covering
up past business misconduct by the
railroad managers, or as justification
for failure to treat fairly the wage
earning employees of the company
at is sincerely to be hoped, there
fore, that any wage controversy that
may rise between the railroads and
fheir employees may find a peaceful
solution through the methods of con-
ciliation and arbitration already pro-
vided for by congress, which have
proven so effective during the past
year. To this end the commission
should be in a position to have avail
able for any board of Cancellation or
arbitration relevant data pertaining to
such carriers as may become In
volved in industrial disputes. Should
Cancellation fail to effect a settlement
and arbitration be rejected, accurate
information should be available In or
der to develop a properly Informed
public opinion.
81 therefore ask you to make such
investigation both of your records and
by any means at your command as
will enable to you to furnish data con-
corning such conditions obtaining on
the Louisville & Nashville and any
other roads as may relate, directly
or indirectly to the real merits of
possibly impending controversy"