Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-11-27
Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, the EVEN
ING NEWS will not be published.
SETTLED BY ARBITRATION.

SETTLED BY ARBITRATION.
The findings of the Board Of Arbitration, ap-
pointed to settle the differences between the
locomotive engineers and the various eastern
railroads., puts an end to the question of strike
as far as the engineers are concerned. Imme-
dlately following the announcement of the
board the officials of the Brotherhood of Loco
motlVe Englneres met and agreed that the de-
clslon snail be accepted. There is no doubt
about the railroads stand in the matter.
This ends one of the greatest crises that has
ever faced the American people in the industri-
al world. A strike of all the engineers on the
eastern railroads would do more injury to the
p1s L. tssn anZtslge,5 Set .9aa!I 1appag Il
mean the cessation Of all railroad traffic,
both passenger and freight. For the cities,
particularly, it would mean a famine within a
very short time. AS the Board of Arbitration
stated in their announcement, it would mean
the greatest calamity that could befall the
American people. In reaching its conclusions
this board took into consideration the public
as well as the two parties directly involved.
The members Of the board declared that the in
terests of the people at large were far more i'm
portant than that of the railroads or the en-
ployes.
Admitting that a strike of engineers would
cause the greatest suffering, there are a great
many other lines of employment which would
cause much inconvenience and no little suffer
ing if a strike should occur. We have only to
rafar tO tho coal ctrilxo IF q faur voarc ouo ond
the brief tie-up of the mines last spring to show
what a strike in the coal mining districts
means. Even such a local strike as that which
took place in Perth Amboy last summer af-
fects the public to a great extent. The people
must always be taken into consideration in all
such instances.
This being true, the settlement of the con
troversy between the engineers and railroads
by arbitration sets a worthy example for all
who become involved in any industrial dispute.
There are always three parties concerned in all
strikes, yet the public, heretofore, has never
been given consideration The Board of Arbi-
t~ration, which has so successfully handled the
engineers differences, has called attention to
this factor in a very forcible manner and it is
to be hoped that from now on the third party
will get the consideration it deserves.
Very little is to be gained through strikes.
Where honest differences arise, if some disin.
terested body could be appointed to take hold
of the matter and adjust affairs to the ~satisfac-
ton of all, it would go a great way toward
solving one of the greatest social problems OF
the century. There are always two sides to a
question, yet through the radical leadership of
a certain few on both sides it is hard to get
the parties together. If a third body could ster
in and compel recognition, or if the men on
both sides of the dispute were honorable
enough to accept the verdict of an arbitration
board, regardless of what its conclusions might
be, the country's prosperity would be greatly
increased and thousands of American homes
would be made the happier thereby.