The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-08-19
ATTEMPTING TO
ADJUST DIFFICULTY

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1s.-Daily
conferences are being held here by
Commissioner Hanger, of the United
States board of mediation and con-
ciliation in connection with the threat
ened strike of trainmen on the lines
of the Southern Pacific company.
Shippers and the travelling public are
awaiting the outcome with apprehen-
sion, realizing the enormous losses
that would be inflicted on the state
If the men should walk out. When
the Newlands act was passed by con-
gress, it was hoped that a method had
been found for the peaceful solution
of industrial conflicts, and the prompt
action of President William Sproule
of the Southern Pacific appealing to
the government temporarily reassured
the people that they would not be
made to suffer because of a dispute to
which they were entirely innocent
parties. 1t is to be hoped that Com
missioner Hanger will succeed in
bringing both together
BY Offering to mediate and arbit-
rate, the railroad has gone on record
as recognizing that the interest of the
public in transportation is greater
than that of either carrier or employe.
Commenting on this subject last year,
the board of arbitration on the en-
gineer' controversy in the east said:
: 1t is evident that, for a great Sec
tion of the United States, a railroad
strike can no longer be considered as
matter which primar - affects the
railroad operators and employees. It
does affect and affects them serious
ly; but the public is far more deeply
concerned. Indeed, the interests of
the public so far exceed those of the
parties to controversy as to render
the former paramount. To this para
mount interest both the railroad ope-
rators and employees should submit. 1t
is therefore imperative that some 9th
er way be found to settle differences
between railroads and their employees
than by Strikes
Presidents Garretson and Lee of
the national organization of the Or
der of Railway Conductors and the
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.
which are the same organizations as
those involved in the Southern Pacific
dispute, on July "a, writing on the
tie-up that was threatened in the east,
said to the board of mediation that
the Newlands act, under which the
Southern Pacific has appealed. was
framed for the employe as well as
the employer. Part of the letter read:
There has never been time when
we had even the remotest idea that
the law governing arbitration was
enacted for the benefit only of the
employe. On the contrary, we recog-
nize the right of every railway to in
woke its provisions at the proper time
and in the proper manner, but we will
certainly not concede that the employ
er has the right to sweep aside all of
the methods prescribed in the agree
ments on the various individual lines
whenever the convenience OF the en-
ployer desires to unfairly press those
matters to immediate consideration.
while at the same time, insisting that
the employees must comply with everv
detail of the requirements that are so
embodied. Consequently, while rec
ognizing that, under the new law,
their rights are equal to our own, we
also insist upon the recognition of the
fact that responsibilities and duties
go hand in hand with rights, and if we
must be required to assume those re-
sponsbilities and perform those du-
ties, we naturally expect that any 9TH
er party to the contention shall do
| likewise.
President Wilson has appointed
three men of high standing and
character to serve upon the board of
mediation and Cancellation, and they
are now engaged in endeavoring to
bring about an amicable adjustment of
controversies concerning wages, hours
of labor and working conditions on the
part of railroads in the United States,
including the controversy over inter
change of rights and seniority be-
tween the Southern Pacific company
and the Order of Railway Conductors
and the Brotherhood of Railroad
Trainmen. In this controversy, which
vitally affects the entire west, and
which, if it resulted in strike, would
tie up the entire Pacific system of the
Southern Pacific company, covering
over six thousand miles of main line
track, and extending from Portland,
Oregon, to Ell Paso, Texas, and would
not only result in great loss to the
railroads and to the employees, them
selves, but also in vast and irreparable
loss and inconvenience to the public,
the Southern Pacific company. through
its president, William Sproule, called
Continued on Page Four.)
fact carry some valuable mineral, in
at least appreeiable quantities, a min
eral protest will not be sustained.