The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-02
\ CoAn AGREEMENT WEAKNESS.

The suspension of work in both the
anthracite and bituminous coal fields
Sunday. by which nearly half a mill.
ion men directly employed in the coal
industry became idle and nearly as
many more will be indirectly effected,
calls attention to one Of the serious
defects in the relation Of employer
and employe in this industry. The
news Of a suspension or even a strike
in the coal regions at this time OF the
year has only the element of curiosity
Tor North Dakotans. But to the peo-
pie concerned and those whose
business is interviewer with the opera
tlon OF the mines 1t is II grave affair.
For many years the miners organ
LOTIONS in both fields have made the
contracts for the wage scale m 9TH
cr conditions which were mutually
agreed upon. 1t is true that the min
"rs have not always lived up to those
agreements. but during the last few
years the development in this particu-
lar has been rapid. That is neither
here nor there, however. in this dis
ruSsion. The point is that while both
parties to the agreement knew ii was
to expire on March 81, the time of cx-
piration found them still discussing
and bargaining, though both sides de-
sired TO reach an understanding.
Both parties realized that there
would he tagging over terms with the
possibility of a referendum vote to the
miners to ratify any terms other thar
those they had previously authorized
their official representatives to make.
There is no business reason why, with
this knowledge, both sides did not be-
gin the work of reaching an agree
ment long enough in advance OF the
expiration of the agreement to en-
able them to thrcsh out the terms
and have the referendum vote taken
before the contract expired, so that
work could have gone forward with
NJ interruption when the change
from tho old to the new contract oc-
cured.
This defect in tho methods of con-
Quoting the negotiations is a matter
which at first blush would seem to
concern only the parties directly in
terestcd. AS a matter of fact, how
ever. the public is more concerned
than the parties themselves. A sus-
pension of work under the present
will bring 10 serious hardships to
them. But if the available fuel sup
ply is reduced. industries other than
mining must suffer just as they have
in England during the last three
weeks and thousands of men must be
thrown out of employment and bust
ness in general must suffer.
II would seem that what is known
as the I;rdman law could he so
amended that il the parties did not
reach an agreement a month before
the expiration of the contract, the
government could intervene as an ar
bitrator and rush the natter to a
conclusion. This intervention could
be based on the principle OF the gov
eminent seeking to protect the pub
lie If the time of expiration of the
contracts We're September instead of
March tho possible consequences OF
a suspension or a strike or lockout
are at once apparent. 1t is far bet
ter TO remedy an evil before it be-
M dangerous than permit 1t to
grow until it can not De changed. 1t
would be easy to change the date of
the termination of the miners agree
ments to the fall and then North Da-
kota and other states which depend
upon the cast for their fuel would
face a disaster. The news then would
contain something more than the ele-
ment Of curiosity.
If our own great coal fields are ever
developed. the situation will he
brought home with force. We will
then be in the same position OF the
people OF the anthracite and bitumin-
Gus regions in that we will he afraid
to speak out lest the agitation lead
to trouble between the two contend
ing forccs-the operators and the
miners.