New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-30

ing but Justice in such cases and were
willing TO serve those who served .hcr.
Unions Accept Plan.
The representatives Of the brother
hoods accepted the plan, but the repre-
scntatives Of the railroads declined 70
accent il. I'm the face OF what cannot
but regard as the practical certainty
that they will be ultimately obliged TO
accept the eight-hour day by the con
certcd action Of organized labor. backed
by the favorable judgment of society
the representatives of the railway
management have felt justified in de-
cinng peaceful settlement when
would engage all the forces of justice,
public and private, on their side 10 take
care Of the event They fear the hostile
influence Of shippers. who would be
opposed 20 an increase of freight rates
for which, however. of course. the pub
lie itself would pay; they apparently
feel no confidence that the Interstate
Commerce Commission could Withstand
the objections that would be made.
They do not care TO rely upon the
friendly assurances of the Congress or
the President. They have thought 1t
best that they should be forced to yield,
II they must yield. not by counsel. but
By the suffering Of the country While
my conferences with them were in pro-
gress. and when TO all outward appear
ance those conference had come to
staEdstill. the representatives Of the
brotherhoods suddenly acted and set
the strike for the fourth of September.
Stand by Railroads.
The railway managers based their de-
csion to reject my counsel in this mat
ter upon their conviction that they
must at any cost to themselves or to
the country stand firm for the prin-
ciple of arbitration which the men had
rejected. | based my counsel upon the
inGisputable fact that there was no
means of obtaining arbitration. The
law supplied none; earnest efforts at
mediation had failed to influence the
men in the least. To stand firm for
the principle of arbitration and yet
not get arbitration seemed 10 me futile,
and something more than futile. be-
cause it involved incalculable distress
to the country and consequences in
some respects worse than those of
war, and that in the midst of peace.
yield to no man in firm adherence,
alike of conviction and of purpose, TO
the principle of arbitration in indus
trial disputes, but matters have come
to n sudden crisis in this particular
dispute and the country has been
. caught unprovided with any practical
Bile means Of enforcing that conviJ< on
in practice by whose fault we will
| not now stop to inquired. A situation
, had to be met, whose elements and
fixed conditions were indisputable.
The practical and patriotic course to
pursue, as il seemed to me, was to Sc
cure immediate peace by conceding the
| - -, l.. e ..
which society itself and any arbitra-
tors who represented public sentiment
were most likely to approve and imme-
, diately lay the foundation for securing
arbitration with regard to everything
else involved. The event has confirmed
that judgment.
Safeguarding the Future.
was seeking to compose the present
, in order TO safeguard the future, for
! ! wished an atmosphere of peace and
friendly cooperation in which to take
!, counsel with the representatives of the
nation with regard to the best means
for providing. so far as il might prove
possible 20 provide, against the recur-
renee Of such unhappy situations in the
future-the best and most practicable
means Of securing calm and fair arbi-
tration Of all industrial disputes in the
days 70 come. This is assuredly the
best way of indicating a principle,
namely, having failed TO make certain
of its observance in the present, TO
make certain of its observance in the
future.
But | could only propose. | could
not govern the Will OF others, who took
an entirely different view of the cir
cumstances of the case, who even re-
fused to admit the circumstances to be
what they have turned out to be.
New Laws Proposed.
Having failed to bring the parties
to this critical controversy to an ac-
commodation, therefore | turn to you,
deeming it clearly our duty as public
servants to leave nothing undone that
we can do TO safeguard the life and
interests of the nation. In the spirit
of such a purpose, | earnestly recon-
mend the following legislation:
First, immediate provision for the
enlargement and administrative reor-
ganzation of the Interstate Commerce
Commission along the lines embodied
in the bill recently passed by the
House Of Representatives and now
awaiting action by the Senate, in order
that the commission may be enabled to
deal with the many great and various
duties now devolving upon it with a
promptness and thoroughness which
are with its present constitution and
means of action practically impossible
Second, the establishment Of an
eight-Eour day as the legal basis alike
of work and OF wages in the employ
ment OF all railway employees who are
actually engaged in the work of operat-
ing trains in interstate transportation
Commission to Watch.
Third, the authorization OF the ap-
pointment by the President of small
body of men TO observe the actual re-
suits in experience of the adoption of
the eight-hour day in railway transport
tation alike for the men and for the
railroads; its effects in the matter of
operating costs, in the application of
the existing practices and agreements
TO the new conditions and in all other
practical aspects. with the provision
that the Investigators shall report
their conclusions to the Congress at
the earliest possible date, but without
recommendation as TO legislative ac-
ton, in order that the public may
learn from an unprejudiced source Just
what actual developments have ensued
Fourth. explicit approval by the Con-
gress of the consideration by the Inter-
| state Commerce Commission of an in
crease of freight rates to meet such
additional expenditures by the rail-
roads as may have been rendered nee
essary by the adoption of the eight