The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-02-18
OF ARB|-
TRATION BOARDS

Most people know hat boards Of
arbitration for the settlement of dis
putes between labor and capital do not
accomplish the results for which they
are created. but few know why they
fail Frederick Palmer makes the
point clear in his article in the March
number of Hampton s, when he tells
of the efforts of the Ohio State Board
of Arbitration to settle the strike of
the street car men at Columbus last
summer The street car men had
agreed to refrain from calling a strike
on the promise from the chamber OF
that they should have a
square deal if they would lay the en-
tire matter before the state board.
II would seem at first glance that
their decision was a wise one, says Mr..
Palmer, in view of the change in the
personnel of the board, which Cover
nor Judson Harmon automatically
facilitated.
"Judge Noah II. Swayne, the con-
sentative member, resigned and in his
place was appointed as representative
of the employers side Alfred II.
Sparks, manager of the James Leffert
Water-wheel company, of Toledo, who
believes in union labor. The second
member was Joseph Bishop, a friend
of labor, and the third, the Rev. Theo-
dore Irving Reece.
"Here was the very crisis for which
such a board was created. But the law
had given it only power to summon
witnesses. They got every possible
witness and heard him questioned and
cross questioned by the lawyers of
both sides. The newspapers kept the
public appetite sharp for more details.
Meanwhile the chamber of commerce
was winning it's point. 1t had gained
the delay which it desired. There was
full street ear service for the Indus
trail exposition.
Gin proof of arbitral industry are
no less than 2,153 typewriter pages
Of evidence which show that not a sin
gle n%on-union man had beer discharged
since May Cd. Two union men had
been discharged for knocking down
fares, five for fights with non-union
men, two for vile language, and two
for negligence which caused rear-end
collisions. In seven of the twelve
cases the board found that there was
not just cause for discharge, and in
two cases no opinion was given.
"As the examination drew to a
close, the union offered to accept as
binding any verdict of the board. But
Manager Stewart, of the Railway and
Light company, declared that this was
simply another proposition from the
nnon as such to get recognition. The
various delays since April had given
him opportunity to prepare fully for re-
s~istance to the final and decisive strike
which he considered inevitable. He
was ready for the big struggle for the
open shop principlpe. He said that he
would not even submit TO the presi-
dent of the United States as arbitrat-
ora remark that sank into the pub
lie mind.
son July Esd the board delivered
its findings. In addition to those al
ready given it concluded that, so far
as discrimination was concerned, the
inspectors and former of the Railway
& Light company were more friendly
to non-union men than to union men.
However, in the interests of all con
cerned it was hoped that both parties
to the dispute would settle their diff
ferences by peaceful means.'
The city smiled in satire, for it
knew that without the power to en-
force this decision the board was pow
erless.