The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-30
THE RAILROAD CRISIS.

President Wilson lies in the fact that
both have discredited the modern, hu-
name and accepted method of adjust
ing disputes between labor and capital,
namely, arbitration.
The position of President Wilson
from the start has been amazing to
hensibie that he should do what he
has done. He lays emphasis on the
fact that future disputes should be set
tied by arbitration. The crisis is now.
The president to a large extent is
dreamer when he attempts to create at
this time compulsory arbitration. Ar
filtration is largely a matter of agree
1cent between two contendiEg parties.
either of which broadly recognizes the
the public concerned has a great right.
The president should have been just
as insistent with the laboring men that
they arbitrate. and should have held
them equally responsible with the rail-
reads, in this situation.
1t looks to an observer az tho the
president had been persuade Il to play
serious matter of transportation, of
people and products, SO essential to
cur welfare and existence. He has
row placed himself in e. position
where he is opposed both by capital
and labor; and but for his exalted po-
sition would be wholly discredited.
The eight-hour day, while in vogue
il many departments of labor, like the
printing offices for instance, has never
been adjusted to train service among
the larger roads and is assuredly a
matter of Cancellation or arbitration
Isn't it absurd for the president, on
the spur of the moment, without a
hearing of either side, to say to the
railroads.: Hereafter, you shall have
an eight-hour basic day. altho ten
hours is usually required for the SER
vice. and then you can adjust the other
details by arbitration?" He settles the
main point himself and says the rest
should be arbitrated.
A railroad day is different from the
ordinary day. Railroad men often
work longer hours some days and then
lay off the day or two following. 1t
is not a continuous service OF ten hours
day after day.
The railroad brotherhoods might do
well to consider the typographical
unions. with which organizations ar
hitration is a most beneficent prin-
ciple.
In this controversy the public is
! likely to quickly place the blame upon
the side which appeals to force rather
/ than arbitration.
Arbitration of railroad disputes OF
the future but no arbitration of the
present railroad dispute-this would
appear to be President Wilson's posi-
ton and how it can be successfully
| defended either by him OF his friends
or the railroad brotherhoods appears
TO passeth the understanding.
/ The legislation that the president
asks congress to enact in order that
the threatened strike may be averted
in order to permit him to handle the
situation and see that the railways are
operated in case the strike should be-
called, is unprecedented
Congress is a deliberative BODY
sometimes too much so, perhaps. ant
| especially as far as the activities O;
the senate are concerned, but it is ant
should be a deliberative body; and +
L. beyond right or reason 10 imagin,
even that congress would enact til,
legislation asked for by the presiden
within day, or two or three. T
would not be true to its trust, to it
responsibilities to the people, were i
to do SO.
Here is legislation, social and eco
nomic, of the utmost concern no
i9erely to the railroads and their en-
ployes but to the whole people o
the nation because of the precedent
it would create. Most of it might b
esirable. But this is surely a debat
able question. Certainly there ar
sufficient reasons for wide divergence
of opinion concerning soma of the de
tails and principles of Mr.. Wilson
suggestions
And he tells congress that such a.
emergency exists that this Legislation
should be written into the statut
, books forthwith.
So successful has President Wilso
; been since the beginning of his ad
7 rlinistration in bending congress t
! his will that he seems to have an ide
that the congress of these Unite
States is a branch of our governmen
that is subservient to and not co-ordi
} nate with the executive branch.
1t surely must be time for congres
TO disillusionize him of this obsessior
; but then the congress of today, G
! those in control of it. also happens t
be no more than branch of a poiiti
cal party of which Woodrow Wilso