The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-31
PRESIDENT ACTS TO HASTEN LAWS
 AGAINST STRIKE.
(Continued from Page 1.)

"We believe in the principle of ar bitration," he said, but not in arbi- tration where we stand only to lose. The experience of our men with arbi- tration has not made them in love with it's practical results. There have been many unfair men on our arbitra- tion boards. Can you imagine two men having a case passed on in court" he demanded, and then after the litigants had left the court room, one of them arrogating to himself the right to interpret the verdict?''
 Under ordinary processes of our policies" Garretson continued, i've would be out of accord with all of the five propositions made by the Presi- dent But in the hope of affecting a settlement, we are willing to waive many deep-rooted principles and we are willing to aid in passage of a legis- lative remedy that will make it possi- ble to recall the order to strike. The eight-hour law, accompanied by a pro- vision to assure the 10 hours pay pend- ing inquiry-and 1 suggest a provision that a government should bring suit in case a road refuses to grant the pay as is provided in the hours of service-would satisfy us in this emergency.
 "As for compulsory arbitration" :" said Garretson, mo influence that ever can be brought to bear can induce our organization to accept it. l want to go on record here as protesting against anything that savers of making men stay at work during any investiga- tion.''
 The brotherhoods, MT. Garretson said, would not oppose being drafted to run trains as long as it was only for military purposes.
 MT. Gompers, who followed MT. Garretson, said that the Federation of Labor supported the brotherhood and protested against compulsry arbi- otration. Mr. Gompers said he believ- ed he had contributed as much as any body in America to avoiding strikes.
 "But, gentlemen" he said, there are things worse than strikes. We have got to live when that strike is over and is history and then, I ask you, will we find upon the statute books 0 law that says that men are criminals if they strike in concert Such a condition is intolerable. trust this legislation will not be en- actd."
 Senator NewIands asked Gompers to give the committee the solution of the problem.
 "On Monday" said MT. Newlands, the railroads of the country will be tied up. I think the members of this committee agree with me that compul- sorry arbitration and compulsory ser vice are both impossible and inadvis- able. The suggestion, therefore, is made that the government make an investigation and that pending an in- quiry into the facts the parties main- tain the status quo. Now, if this rem- edy is not right and is wholly wrong, what is the remedy?"
 , MT. Gompers replied that under the circumstances the employees should be left free to strike whenever they saw fit and not forced to unfold their arms by law. The question of bring ing about peace now, he insisted, should devolve upon the railroad heads who should be expected to agree to some sort of satisfactory settlement. 'sIt is more essential" he said, "that the liberties of the employees should be safeguarded than that some suf- fering which is certain to follow a strike, be avoided