The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-02-19

They vehemently reiterated this pro-
test in giving ground today and de-
clared that their only reason for yield
ing was that the public would not toll
crate a strike.
The decision of the roads was an
nounced shortly before 10 o'clock this
morning in an official statement issued
by Elisha Lee, as chairman of the
conference committee of managers.
STRIKE NOT TOLERATED.
''The managers feel" says the state
ment, that the public will not toIer-
ate a strike
Mr.. Lees communication is address
ed to Judge Martin A. Knapp, of the
United States commerce court. and G.
W. W. Hanger, acting United States
commissioner of labor, who have been
acting as mediators in the dispute. 1t
is as follows:s
"At the urgent request of you as
representatives of the government, and
under the strongest protest we are able
to voice, the managers committee
agrees to arbitrate the firemen's con-
troversy under the Erdman act. The
managers also desire to give notice at
this time that they shall earnestly re-
quest that the hearings in this ar
bitration be open to the public.
LAS the managers have stood out to
the limit against arbitration under the
Erdman act and as the government
or the public-is responsible for what
ever the consequences may be, the
managers reiterate their principle OBJ
lection to the Erdman act. These were
pointed out by the board of arbitration
in the engineers case:
sI,;Is .s.,l.
ly would rest upon a third member of
an Erdman arbitration board was too
great to impose on any one man.
1.-The operation of the act is to set
tie dispute rather than adjudicatc
a controversy.
1.-The arbitrator are three in num-
Der. Each side is represented by one
arbitrator. 1t rests therefore upon tha
third arbitrator to bring the other two
as nearly as possible together and if
he cannot do so, he must decide be-
tween them. This is accomplished by
splitting differences and the case may
be adjusted without adequate investi-
cation of the facts involved, and the
award may not rest upon a basis of
equity.
But the most fundamental defect
of the Erdman act is that the interests
of the public are not guarded by it,
1.-The managers feel that the public
will not tolerate, a strike, and realizing
their three-fold responsibility to the
public, their men and their sharehold-
ers. they only agreed to arbitrate under
the Erdman act when it seemed the
only way to avert the calamity of a
strike.
The f1remen's brotherhood has no
responsibility except to it's members
The question the public should Sc
riously consider Is whether, in compelI- |
ing the railroads to arbitrate under a |
defective and inadequate law and in
thus securing temporary convenience
and accommodation, they are not sac
rificing their permanent welfare
"The managers committee wishes to
warn the public at this time of another
and similar demand for increased
wages made by the conductors and |
trainmen. We desire to put the pub
lie on notice as to the crisis that will
confront them when these demands are
considered by the railroads.
1--WE also desire to call attention to |
the serious public danger of these re-
curing demands, backed up by repeat |
ed demands that the railroads arbi- |
trate under the law
"The whole situation is now in the |
hands of the government and the peo-
pie. They have taken Ii out of the /!
hands of the managers at a time when
the latter hoped to make a stand for
the public good
The agreement to arbitrate was
promptly signed by both sides.
The mediators, in formal state !
mems committee has passed a resolu-
ton recommending that the labor or |
CARNATIONS and the railroads, unite |
in requesting such amendments to the |
existing law as may be found desir-
able
In agreeing to arhitrate under the
Erdman act, the railroads came to theI