The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-04

M EM there in the big government of
 EI Nj the United States, but the I most unique of all perhaps,
 are those occupied by two of Uncle 'Sam's employees at Washington, D. C. These men-known alike to labor and capital all over the country-are designated by law as official peacemak- CTS. It is their duty to preserve the peace so to speak, between the rail roads and that big, influential body of men, the train operators engaged in in- terstate traffic.
 The Peacemak kers.
 When these representatives of capital and labor are at loggerheads, the two men-Martin Augustus Knapp, of Syra- euse N. Y, chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission, and pr. Charles P Neill, United States Commissioner of Labor-step In and seek to pour oil on the troubled waters by averting strike and effecting a compromise and settlement.
 The work of these two men has been remarka ble in several particulars In the first place it has been uniformly success ful This statement is more impressive when 1t is taken into consideration that the work was looked upon In the light of questionable experiment when first suggested. In the second place, their work has shown that when approached in a friendly spirit, but without bias, prejudice or partisanship, both capital and labor are disposed to display fair ness, patience, tolerance and regard for the rights each of the other.
 How much of this success has been due to the personality of the mediators and how much to the good sense and fairness of the men and their employers may not accurately be determined. But that much has depended upon the medi- ators themselves is beyond dispute. And both men are qualified by education and temperament to act in this trying ca pacity.
 Few persons are aware that during the past year several great railroad strikes, which would have caused i'm mense suffering and loss of business and money, have been narrowly averted in this country When the industrial depression came, the railroad companies very generally threatened to reduce the wages of their employees; naturally, there was an immediate protest
 The Situation Critical.
 For a time it seemed that there would he much trouble, for the employees were determined to resist any reductions and
 
 afford to continue the old scale of wages. Very naturally the result was deadlock There seemed determination to bring on strikes.
 The public never knew how critical the situation was. But the government was in a position to know. It was able, by reason of the Erdman Act, to offer friend ly and disinterested mediation, which, while being in the nature of an untried experiment, was accepted by the rail- roads and their men. The impending strikes did not occur and government mediation scored a triumph. Many other cases have been handled in this same successful manner.
 And the two men who have charge of this unique department of government are adopts at their strange profession. Reared on a farm until his seventeenth year, Martin Augustus Knapp learned from experience something of the stand point of the man who labors with his hands. Having educated himself, won college degrees of A. M. and IL. D., gained admission to the bar of his native state and become possessed through his industry and thrift of a competence. he has an appreciation of the feelings of the capitalistic class and an understanding of the legal rights of both capital and labor Withal he has a keen sympathy for the worNngman and sense of justice that would prevent him countenancing an in- justice to any individual whether rich or poor.
 While still young lawyer Mir. Knapp was made corporation counsel for the City of Syracuse, which office he held for six years. In 1891 he was appointed member of the Interstate Commerce Com mission by President Harrison. He was feappointed in 1897 by President Ceve- land and again by President Roosevelt ill 1902.
 A Social Scientist.
 As United States Commissioner of Labor Dr- Charles F. Eeill has made