The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1916-08-25

kIH DAKOTA, FRIDAY, A
that are in dispute may 30 settled by
arbitration later.
That the brothsrhoods are satisfied
With the decisions Of tho president gosH
without saying. but Il be had decidgssl
on anything else they would doub1 ts
still have gone on the strike-as ~
managers are at this time preparing to
do.
Therailway employers have all along
and still insist on arbitration O. the
only fair means Of settling the rights
and wrongs ot the matters in dispute.
All pefties ia the dispute agree that
the result will be an increase IN wages
it the demands a the men are granted.
The only variance Is how much, the men
that it will NOS be very great
while the railway managers say that it
means some afty million OF dollars.
Apropos to the latter proposition
comes the question Of the increase in
freight and passenger rates, ~ the rail-
way managers declare that increase in
expenses other wise would bankrupt the
roads.
Hence under this reasoning the whole
matter comes down to we. the people.
I'VE must pay tue COSTS" which Presl.
dent Wilson arbitrarily decides Is not q
matter OF arbitration.
The position taken by President VII.
son il difficult one and to some extent
at least, hardly logical. He has assumed
the power to dictate terms to the man
ayers. He has threatened them with
force, and gone SO far as TO say tnat he
will force other railway men to act who
are not directly concerned IN the pres.
ent dispute.
Ii President Wilson has this power, il
President Wilson is right in exerting
such extraordinary power as to the man.
agers, why has he not the same power
over the orotherhoods? Why does he
not treat them both alike? 1t he can
compel either body to submit to his own
arbitrary decisions why cannet he com.
pei them both to take their difficulties
before aseRular arbitration board?
Ii he can commander the managers
to submit to his own management why
cannot he also commanders .ue ulv.uvr
hoods to submit to an arbitration board?
POLITICALLY the President will doubt.
less gain many votes among the labor
unions ny his arbitration. The people
however, who will pay the bills, want
more than Mr.. Wilson's per-
sonal opinion. Mr.. Wilson may be
right but the public who pay want to
know more about this eight hour day.
They are perfectly willing to pay the
extra freight bills if the brotherhoods
are not getting all the pay that is com.
ing to them.
But the public want to be shown.
Mr.. Wilson's opinion is that Of a single
man, even though he Is president.
There are lots of people who doubt the
of presidents judgment.
They have seen it fail quite often lately.
There are phases of the disputed mat.
ters in which honest men may differ.
In such cases, in all other matters we
go to regular tribunals for settlement,
These do not always settle things exact.
ly right because they are composed of
human beings-but as individuals, we
have long ago learned that it is the only
possible method of settling disputes
without 6ghting-and even wrong dec.
sion is far better than force.
Ii President Wilson through his arbit-
ration later become the president of all
The railway systems in the country.
what with other matters, including q
political campaign, he will be very
busy man during the next few months.
Later Yesterday mornings dispatches
Jay, ''The railroad chiefs have decided
10 make terms with the president as
champion of the union, and are ready to |
yield the eight hour day with the under.
that the carriers shall be grant
I'd advances in freight rates sufficient to
offset the increase of wages granted to
All of which definitely settles the
point that President Wilson has arbit.
rarily decided that the American pub.
lie shall stand for what managers say
will cost $50, GOO, 600, without asking the
public whether they are willing tc pay