Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-22
COMPULSORY ARBITRATION
IS VITALITY NEEDED

VOWED. tortunatey, the grave crisls lhTedleheu Dy
the dispue between the Georgia railroad and its
ployes, has been averted. both sides having sub
mitted their differences to peaceful means of set
Element But what II either of them had declined to
do so? The commerce Of the entire State and the
South would doubtless have been paralyzed and hun
dreds of thousands of people who had part in the
issue would have suffered intellectually.
Such situation ought never to be possible.
What this railroad and it's trainmen have done of
their own accord should be established in the law as
binding precedent, Whenever public service
corporation and it employees find it impossible to
settle their differences and prolonged strike is
threatened then the government. state or national
as the case might require should STEP in and need
be- compel arbitration.
This would be eminently just to both parties to
the dispute and, what is most important it would
assure the innocent public that of justice
and protection which wholly lacking
A continued strike is costly both to the employer
and the employe On the hand industry is fet-
tered and on the other wages are stopped The
economic loss thus entailed though heavy enough is
within itself almost trivial when compared with the
public's loss and hardship. 1t is, therefore, the
governments duty to the peoples common interests
to provide legal method for the adjustment of such
differences.
Great care should be taken in working out the de-
tails of a compulsory arbitration plan. Whatever
agency is established in this connection should be
above any suspicion of partsanshp. 1t should guar
antee equal rights and representation to both parties
in every case that might up for settlement.
There would be no difficulty, however, in devising
such a method. The fact that strikes arbi-
trated to the satisfaction of every concerned
shows how well this plan would work when admin
istered by the State ITSELF
If nations with vast interests and questions of
honor at issue find it possible to adjust their differ
ences through arbitration, surely small groups of
men with comparatively simple disputes should do
so. The United States and England have passed
hundred years at peace with one another. With
that time they nave had divers misunderstanding
over matters considerable Importance, but in each
instance they have submitted the disagreement to
board of arbters with the result that their friendly
relations have remained lnbroken for a century.
In like manner, Industrial war can be prevented.
Prolonged strikes are seldom necessary or justih-
able and when they arise from the stubborn refusal
of either side to meet the other on halfway ground,
they become an outrage upon the general public.
Certain it is that in of this kind, the State
should exert its rightful power and compel both
parties to submit their claims to arbitration
The Legislature and Congress cannot render bet
ter service to the people than by considering this
matter at their next session and enacting law that
will remove the need and possibility of lOngdrawn
strikes.
Between seasons the baseball magnates manage
to keep up contests between themselves.
The good roads movements applied to certain torn
I'D city streets wouldn't be a bad proceeding.
The election of Wilson is assured that the
announcement of it wouldn't many thrills.
The Thanksgiving turkey would like to do the
turkey trOt, too
We can't see why the rainfall persists in break
ing the record any further.