The Washington herald., 1914-12-03
The Colorado Strike Commission.

If it be possible through mediation, compromise,
and conciliation to terminate the Colorado coal
strike that can surely be accomplished by such
influence Seth Low, together with Charles w.
Mills, of Philadelphia, and Patrick Gilday, of Clear
field, Pa, are able to establish President Wilson
will never name again a commission with moral
authority to compass great service, if that can
be done, which has better and more peculiar quail
fcations for this work than the commission which
he has just named to deal with the Colorado coal
strike.
Seth Low is at his best in endeavors of this
kind. In administrative service Mr. Low mas some
times been thought to lack certain qualifications
which are essential if administration be thoroughly
performed. Possibly his administration as mayor
of New York. excellent as it was, would have
gained greater successes had he been gifted with
an especially tactful method of dealing with men.
Yet in service of the kind Mr.. Low is now ex-
pected to perform he has always revealed unusual
gifts for tactful consideration of all elements per-
sonal and incidental which enter into dispute be-
tween capital and labor. This has been SO widely
recognized that he has gained the confidence of
those who represent the labor organizations and
also the confidence of men of capital
Mr.. Low has not been willing to accept appoint
ment upon any commission which is salaried one
1t commonly understood in New York that
when Gov. Hughes was attempting to make selec-
ton for the membership OF the newly authorized
Public Service Commission of New York, his first
and, in fact his immediate choice was Of Seth Low
The office is salaried one. With two or three ex-
ceptions, other public officer of New York is
paid higher salary than a public service commits
soner receives. None but judges of the division of
the Supreme Court whose jurisdiction is in New
York County receive higher salary, yet Mr.. Low
could not be persuaded to accept this Office. Other
H., -. -.toJ+
lutely declining all invitations, including two or
three which, had he accepted any one of them
would have conferred upon him such distinction as
the holding of an important foreign mission gives.
He did accept appointment one of the repre-
sentatives of the United States to The Hague con-
ference, payment for which service was entirely
confined to the honor which it gave.
When it known that Mr.. Low would be
one of the arbitrators who would pass upon the
demands of great body of railroad employees for
increased pay, confidence was commonly expressed
both by the employees and the railroad managers
that the finding would be fair and just. When it
was made it so regarded, although it was in
the nature of compromise. One reason for the
confidence which is felt in Seth Low by both parties
to disagreement is the certainty that he never
permits personal or political considerations to in
fuence him. After he was elected mayor of New
York he parted with every dollars worth of property
which he possessed which might possibly at some
time during his administration be affected by the
action of that administration. He reinvested his
property in such manner as to make it absolutely
beyond the reach of political and personal con-
sideration.
With character thus established and possessing
as Mr.. Low does great and even unusual capacity
for conciliation and compromise, which are the |
bases of all successful mediation and associated as
he is with two Others Mr. Mills and Mr.. Gilday. |
who have also peculiar qualifications thoroughly in
sympathy with his own, there is reasonable ground
for the hope that this desperate struggle in Colo
rado may at last be satisfactorily ended.