The Washington times., 1916-08-20

owners of these properties comnAtted to
our charge.
ns sass' Ss 1nsss
managers has consistently adhered to
the policy of arbitration as fundamen-
tai principle--it Is essentially the COM
mon right Of every citizen Of whatever
station in life to be heard-to> have his
for wasteful litigation recognised long
since In the codes Of all civilized coun-
tries.
Claim Right to Be Heard.
"a denial OF the right to be heard
doeS not exist under any form of gov-
ernment with which our race has ever
been familiar. and the common accept
ance In international affairs. in the ad-
Justment of public and private rights.
under our Federal and State govern
ments. OF the principal of arbitration
as an approved method for the friend
ly settlement Of the serious contention
Of the parties has put the right TO
claim arbitration as a method of set
tling such controversies beyond ques-
ton.
For these reasons we have support
ed our committee in their continuous
demand that. In those important par
uculars upon which no agreement could
be reached. arbitration should re nc-
corded upon any reasonable basis that
hhbht US ouopocu.
Eight hour Day Demand.
"The eight-hour day-I shall not at
this time stop to fully analyze or COM
ment upon the Importance of the diff
ference between the eight-hour day as
commonly understood In the building
and manufacturing grades and the So
called efght-hour basic day demanded
in this controversy-the eight-hour day
fa vv,o tn t,,A
sidered In connection with railroad train
service, a question upon which honest
minds may differ and Is therefore neces-
sarily a subject for arbitration. In that
manner the contentious OF the parties
may he considered and a fair answer
given.
nary work day. in which for six days
week a regular daily routine is pur-
long. during each OF those periods. the
laborer should work. While In some
states eight hours has been adopted as
the desirable or compulsory maximum.
this broad land is today ,eeming with
the .contented and efficient industry OF
millions Of workers that are working
more than eight hours n day, The
precedent, therefore exists--it exists in
fact and the right or wrong Of 1t. as
we feel. has not yet In this country
passed beyond the realm cf debate.
nouwoy lay DueTent.
But these are not our problems. The
railroad day is a different thing, as has
been patiently and. I infer. many times
explained. Railroad trains run through
out the twenty-four- hour period; the
public demands that they run on Sun
days and holidays; they start at any
hour that the necessities may demand
they. cannot stop until a terminal is
reached. and many conditions. stated
and accidental. render II impossible to
restrict the hours Of railroad labor to a
fixed standard.
In general movement of some years
ago. the present ten-hour basic day we 9
negotiated and approved by the repre-
senatives OF railroad labor throughout
the country. and has cont nued, with
some exceptions. to the present day.
These exceptions have been worked ont
under local conditions different often
from the general conditions affecting
the question.
Agreements of Past.
In several important arhitrations OF
railroad rates of pay and conditions of
service within recent years-the last
within two years. involving ninety-eight
railroads serving the entire territory be-
tween Chicago and the Pacific coaSt-the
ten-hHlr basic day was Incorporated In
the demands Of the ORGANIZATIONS parties
thereto. and made the basis by theSn OF
the rates, and rules awarded by the Fed
eral board.
AT the present time. in a contro-
questions involved here. and in whio.,
numerous important railroads and \ ma
tional organization Of switchmen arc
parties. an arbitration through the
friendly offices of the Federal board
OF mediation has been agreed to-
Wnarnln Of to.,A 49,,
basic day has been submitted as an
arpitrable question.
Principle of Arbitration.
We stand for the principle Of arbi.
tration for the settlement Of Industrial
disputes. Arbitration is the ideal toward
which public sentiment and legislation II
this country have been steadily tending
for the settlement of disputes between
employers and employees. particularly IN
the case of public service corporations
rather than the strike and the lockout
win attendant disturbances and pa
raiysis OF public business.
Arbitration has been provided by leg.
islation. both State and national. Sc
late as 1913 the Federal law was per-
fected or improved by amendments
railroad labor leaders now refusing 10 10
arbitrate. and includes In Its scope all
controversies In railroad service.
I'VE invoke that principle now. and
are willing for the Interstate Commerce
Commission to arbitrate the whole ques-
ton. More than that, we are willing for
the President OF the United States to
appoint commission of disinterested
persons to arbitrate all matters In dis
pute. II neither the Interstate Commerce
Commission nor the machinery OF the
Newlands act Is satisfactory to the la
Dor leaders.
"But we have been met with a refusal
to arbitrate In any manner, and are now
asea asS 70 SSi,,onas hrd.p @ nSpe n ne "a anu ~
lions per annum to the cost Of railroad
transportation iN this country for the