The Washington times., 1913-07-18
RAILROADS WEAK POSITION,

The managers of the Eastern railroads. hay.
taken position in the controversy with their train
men, that they can never sustain at the bar of public
opinion. 1t is beyond comprehension that men o.
their experience and intelligence should have de
iberately placed themselves in disregard for theil
own pledges, for fair dealing or for public senti
ment.
Seth Low, president of the National Civic Fedora
ton, voices well the feelings of the community ir
declaring that his organization entirely sympathize:
wit>he labor organizations in the present status oil
the controversy. ....... >.---s
The organizations made certain demands as tc
wages etc. The roads rejected them, and a grea
strike threatened. Neither side was satisfied tt
mediate arbitrate under the old Erdman act, and
when they agreed on a new plan, Congress and the
President co-operated in passing that measure.
Before the measure passed, the railroad official:
pledged themselves to submit their differences I,
determination, if this act were passed. They were
as specific as anybody could have asked in assuring
that the set of issues AS THEN MADE UP shouIc
be submitted to the new arbitration authority;
So the law passed Immediately it was passed
the railroads modified their position. Instead o
standing on the issues AS ALREADY MADE UP
they prepared long list of entirely new propositions
to be included in the arbitrament. They insisted
that, in addition to determining the issues as pre-
sented before the law passed, many new ones, ir
which the roads advanced entirely unsuspected CON
tentions to the disadvantage of the men, should be
included.
1t was an astonishing departure from the letter
and spirit of the agreement solemnly entered into
with the President and the committees of Congress
So manifest was the bad faith Of this modification
that President Low, who had previously been re-
- H., A. 1okn
to them, came out fatty the side of the men and
insisted that the railroads must recede So vigorous
was President Low, indeed that his letter on the
subject is strkngly similar to that which the spokes
men of the labor organizations wrote After review
ing the facts about the railroads change of front
and stating the position taken by the employees, he
says:
81 am entirely in sympathy with this view If it had
the intention of the railroads to submit these
tions the new law was passed, and part
Of the pending controversy think this purpose should
have been made known the brotherhoods before their
aid accepted n> securing the passage of the New
lands law.
1T must be lost sight of that the brotherhoods
were willing arbitrate under the Erdman act
was but they Joined the railroads in asking for the
Newands law because they thought the desire of the
railroads for larger board Of arbitration was rea-
sonable.
They also shared the wish of the railroads for
independent board mediation and conciiaton such
Is provided in the NeWlands act Inls attitude OF the
toward the railroads to the size Of the
board OF arbitration fairly entities them to ask at the
present that the railroads confne the immediate
al arbitration to the questions raised by them.
This request seems to me both reasonable and just
to the earnest hope that the
railroads which you represent will accede to it."
If strike should be forced now, as a result OF
the strange shifting of position by the railroads. the
whole public would be aligned on the side of the
strikers. If the railroad managers do not realize
this they should be given, from some high govern
mental authority, to understand it as a fact. l,
would be in nowise improper, indeed it would be
altogether correct for President Wilson to take a
stand with President Low, in insisting that the rail
roads shall adhere to the program to which they
pledged themselves few days ago.
Mediation and arbitration depend for their sue.
on the confidence of all parties in the good faith
of the proceeding. There can be no such confidence
when such conditions arise as have now been pre-.
sented The whole cause of industrial peace is in
imminent danger of a fearful blow; and it must be
said that if that blow is delivered the railroad man.
ayers will be responsible, and will be held re.
snonsblc. -- -