The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-09

I ties, have right to expect reasonable
efforts TO prevent the discomfort and
loss consequent to strikes and lock.
| outs In express service, street railway
gas, electric light, telephone, tele.
graph, etc. There Is need Of officia
/ machinery in this connection--statt
laws to deal with threatened strikes
In intra state utilities and fedora
laws to deal with threatened strikes
In interstate utilities.
In Canada these problems have been
| quite effectively solved by the Lem
ieux" act which provides for 80 days
notice by either side as the case may
be, In advance Of strikes or lockouts
In mines and public utilities. This
| notice gives time for thorough inves-
tigaticn, the education of the public as
to the causes of friction, and full OPP
portunity for meditation and concilia-
ton. The operation Of the Lemieux
act since it's passage in 1907 has
averted rs out OF 50 threatened strikes
| and lockouts in the dominion OF Can
ada that came under it's provisions.
The method Is very simple. On re-
quest Of either party to an industrial
dispute affecting a public utility, an
investigation board is organized by the
appointment of a representative OF
each side and one from the public.
This is not a fixed board, but one
made UP in each case by men thor
oughly experienced In the industry
involved. The minister of labor as
sists in the selection of the board,
whenever necessary. The three mem
h0TU nf fha dsnp, a
situation and try to bring about order
and peace. They usually succeed.
Their report need not be accepted by
either side, but almost invariably 1t
is. There is no arbitration, only vol
untary acceptance or refusal of the
judgment Of the board. The publica-
ton of the report educates public
opinion as to the rights OF both sides,
In cases of Industrial disputes out
side of public utilities, no investiga-
ton is made under the Lemieux act
except upon the consent Of both en-
ployer and employed. In September
of last year visited Toronto, Otta-
wa, Montreal, and Quebec and found
the sentiment among representatives
of employers and employees as well as
that of judges and others representing
the public, favorable to the bill Only
one man seemed dissatisfied with the
working of the act--a railway presi-
dent, who when asked by me whether
he would rather have no bill, answer
ed mo" He wanted the bill to re-
main in force but desired the judg-
ment OF the board to be accepted as
compulsory arbitration.
In the United States the idea OF
compulsory arbitration is not viewed
with favor. Our people are ready to
be convinced but not to be forced.
But whatever objections there may be
to investigation in advance Of strikes,
believe can be overcome. Some I'M
ion leaders here fear that the 80 days
notice before strike will bring them a
disadvantage. That has not proven
to be the case in Canada.
Another objection that may be rails
ed to such a law affecting public utfl-
tiles, is that the 30 day delay cannot
be enforced. The experience in Can
ada shows that In at least 76 out of
50 cases this question did not arise
May we not expect that the people of
the United States will likewise have
respect for law Of this kind and not
await its enforcement It is the moral
effect Of the law that tells. II, how
ever, we cannot agree on the Cana
dian system, let us try to adopt some
substitute to prevent as many strikes
as possible. Investigation and pub
licity are certainly forces that make
for Justice.