The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-12-30
BLOW AT FREEDOM
Compulsory Arbitration a Peril
to Avert.
WOULD TIE LAB0R's HANDS.
Proposed Law Would Make It.iilesal 70
Quit Work-All Such Legislation
Should Be Opposed a. Detrimental
to the Workers.

pt0P0o90 e0W "0oto "oNO IS'IuS31I 10
Quit Werk-AII Such Legislation
Should Be Opposed ~ Detrimental
to the Workers.
We have previously called the at.
tention Of the members to the desire
OF some employing interests to have
laws enacted which would tie the
hands Of labor and make 1t an offense
against the law TO quit work under
any circumstances unless a commission
had first Investigated and reported
upon the dispute.
Perhaps the most noted instance Of
this sort of legislation in this country
was the introduction OF the Luce
bill. so called. in the legislature Of
Massachusetts last year and which IS
TO come before the legislature of Mas
sachusetts this year on reference. says
the Shoe Workers Journal.
The experience Of this union has
proved that in our arbitration contract
We offer a fair basis Of settlement OF
all disputes with those employers in
our trade who desire to be fair In
treating with their employees, but leg
islation Of the character Of the Luce
bill would tie the hands Of labor In
dealing with employers who are not
disposed to deal fairly with their en-
poyees and who could and doubtless
would take advantage Of the delays in
cident to the proposed investigation
and report to disorganize their en-
ployees by discharging them one at
time for alleged poor work."
We believe most trade unions are
willing to make fair arbitration con-
tracts and to live up to them as we
do. but to make them it is necessary
the employers should be equally fair
minded.
The employers who are not disposed
to deal fairly with labor or to make a
voluntary arbitration contract should
not be assisted by a law which seeks
to enforce involuntary servitude upon
the employees Of an unfair employer
for period which may be used un-
scrupulously by such employer to
crush the union Of his employees.
All such proposed legislation should
be opposed. and our members in Mas
sachusetts and elsewhere are urged tc
be on the alert against it wherever Ii
may show Its head and regardless OF
any source from which it may profess
to emanate.
There are those processing to cham
pion the cause Of labor who will ad
vocate anything the employers want.
4 notable instance Of this is the
Knights Of Labor Journal, which In
it's issue Of October. 1910. says that
Taft's announcement that the Sherman
law will he enforced against corpora
tons and unions alike ought to satisfy
everybody.
This requires some nerve after the
fight labor made to secure the adoption
Of the Hughes amendment to exempt
the unions from such persecution.
The Hughes amendment was defeat
ed, but its defeat caused the retire
ment OF some members Of congress
who opposed it.
The same paper expresses satisfac
ton that the miners are being sued
for $1,000, 600 in Westmoreland county
and that the American Federation o.
Labor is n defendant in Posts suit fol
| $75OOOO
The same paper also editorially sup
| ports the enactment Of laws providing
for compulsory arbitration.
| 1t is true that the knights Of Labor
Journal only represents a mere handful
of members in the whole country. bu
as an alleged labor paper it will b.
quoted in favor Of the enactment o.
such laws wherever they are intro
duced.
Workingmen should beware of tn,
kiss OF Judas.
Oppose compulsory arbitration