The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1911-02-10
BLOW At FREEDOM
Compulsory Arbitration a Peril
to Avert.
WOULD TIE LABOR'S HANDS.

Proposed Law Would Make It Illegal to
Quit Work-AlI Such Legislation
Should Be Opposed as 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 it an off nHe
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 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 1t 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 law which seeks
to enforce involuntary servitude upon
the employees of an unfair employer
for a period which may be used I'M
scrupulously by such employer to
All such proposed legislation should
be opposed, and our members in Mas
sachusetts and elsewhere are urged to
be ON the alert against it wherever it
may show its head and regardless of
any source from which it may profess
to emanate.
There are those protesting to cham
pion the cause of labor who will adj
vocate anything the employers want.
A notable instance Of this is the
Knights of Labor Journal, which iu
its issue of October. 1910, says that
Taft's announcement that the Sherman
law will be enforced against corpora
lions 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 100000 in Westmoreland county
and that the American Federation of
Labor is a defendant in Posts suit for
$75O,0OO.
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 mere handful
of members in the whole country, but
as an alleged labor paper it will be
quoted in favor of the enactment OF
such laws wherever they are intro
duced