The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-11-25
MORRISSEY DOES
AGREE WITH OTHERS
Former Head of the Railway
Trainmen Opposes Find
ing of the Board.
(National News Association


WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 25.-A
dissenting opinion was filed today by
p. Fl. Morrissey, forger grand master
of the Brotherhood Of Railway Train
men, and representative OF the en-
gineers on the board of arbitration
which has just made public the result
of its conference on the demands for
Increased wages laid before it by 3d.
900 engineers employed on roads east
OF Chicago.
Mr.. Morrissey was the only dissent
ing member of the board, the finding
of that body being signed unanimous
ly by the five members appointed by
the government officials and by Daniel
Willard. president of the B. & 0. Il. X.
Representatives Of the railroads.
Mr.. Morrissey expresses the BELIEF
that the award Of the board will have
the effect of retarding the prograss OF
arbitration in the settlement of indus
trial disputes on the railroads.
He contends that the award does not
settle the important principles rails
ed by the engineers and claims that 1t
is based upon the use of statistics that
are not only unreliable for the pur-
poses for which the board used them
but that the board also erred in the
application of these wage statistics.
For this reason, he says, while the
engineers will faithfully abide by the
award during the period that it is to
continue, at the same time 1t can be
only temporary because it's fundamen-
tai basis is so insecure"
DIssents From Others.
He dissents from the majority OF
the board in their recommendation
that wage commissions be established
with power of compulsory arbitration
although he suggests that there are
some important activities to which
give their attention.
A striking suggestion is made in his
recommendation that hereafter arbi-
tration boards should be so consti.
tuted that none of the parties compos-
ing them-not even representatives
of the public-should have a majority
Of the members; that the majority
should be constituted by representa-
tives of at least two of the parties
agreeing Mr.. Morrissey's dissenting
report concludes with the statement:
81 wish to- emphasize my dissent
from that recommendation of the
board which in, it's effect virtually
means compulsory arbitration for the
railroads and their employees. Regard
less Of any probable constitutional
prohibitions which might operate
impractical BILE. The progress toward
the settlement of disputes between the
railways and their employees without
recourse to industrial warfare has
been marked. There is nothing under
present conditions to prevent it's con
tinuance. 1t will never be perfected
but even so it will be immeasurably
better than it would be under condi
tons such as the board propose. The
peace that would satisfy such an ideal
condition as that had in mind by those
making the recommendation, would
be too dearly bought even if it could
be attained. To insure the permanent
Industrial peace so much desired viii
require a broader craftsmanship thar
that which would shackle the rights
of large group of our citizens"
Mr.. Morrissey recognizes the i'm
Importance to the engineers of the eff
fects of such increases in wage rates
and the establishing of such uniform
rules of service as the board have
granted. There has been," he says
"a gain in essentials and a step for
ward has been taken in the standard
ization in engineers rates and of con
ditions for the Eastern district