Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-30

federation with the strike as its weapon
is gathering in the unions as they pass
by their own action from under the ap-
plication of the arbitration law. and, to
cap the. climax Of the paradOxical. one
of the latest strikes was caused not by
any dispute between employers and en-
ployed. but because one organization OF
mine workers Che engine drivers) wished
to register under the arbitration act, and
to continue to substitute court arbitra-
ton for the strike. The other mine work
ers. canceling their registration under the
arbitration law and federating for strike
and boycott warfare outside the law,
treated as rats the engine drivers who
wished to remain within the law. and in
effect struck against their continued en-
plOyment by the mine owners.
Strikes in No-Strike Land.
The teaching to the United States of New
Zealand's experience is that compulsory
arbitration. TO be permanently helpful.
must be. in fact, compulsory, with ef-
fective provisions to compel the carrying
out of awards, and must be capable of
being invoked not only by employed or
employers. but also by the public. in case
both employed and employers are obsti-
nate and angry and wish to continue to
fight. In many industrial disputes the
consuming public, the third party in in
terest-damaged the most while the war
is in progress and paying in the higher
prices Of products and higher wages of
all organized labor the expenses and loss
of both loser and winner in the struggle
suffers more from the warfare OF violence
and has consequently greater interest
in bringing about arbitration than either
of the parties directly concerned For in
stance in a coal strike the consuming
public suffers from the coal shortage due
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of coal for any increase Of wages con-
coded to the miners. The interest of this
third party, the most important of all in
government of, by and for all the peo-
pie. Is neglected In both the United States
and New Zealand.
The last condition OF New Zealand In
dustrially threatens to be worse than
the first. The voluntary arbitration ar
rangements of the United States between
men OF intelligence. self-respect and en-
lightened selfishness, like the printers
and newspaper publishers. are more bind
ing. reliable and satisfactory today than
New Zealands sO-called compulsory court
arbitration.
The adoption of the New Zealand arbi-
tration system would not, therefore, pre-
vent strikes in the United States. 1t
does not prevent them in New Zealand,
and from lack Of real compulsion it is
becoming imperative. 1t has done good
work, but has fatal weakness in that
by the workingmen If they prefer TO
strike
Australians experience teaches that the
strike evil Is not cured by having la
Dor party in politics to cooperate with
the arbitration courts and compel obedi-
ence to their awards. The labor tpoliticaD
party, representing one of the necessary
parties to these arbitrations. which in
Australia is in control Of the federal gov
eminent, refused some months ago to
respond to a states request tunder a con-
stitutional provision similar to our OWN
for force to check disorder in connection
with a strike which the state conceded
to be beyond its control. with the result
of distinct loss by the labor party of
public confidence and support on its fail
ure as a political organization to compel
obedience to the law by strikers. Aus
tralia's hint on this point is that ii is
bad in every way and for all parties for
employers and employed to be arrayed in
distinct political and partisan hostility
to each other
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