East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-08-30

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 it best that they should
be forced to yield, IL they must yield
not by counsel but by the suffering OF
the country.
while my conferences with them
were in progress, and when to all out
ward appearances those conferences
had come to a standstill, the represen-
tatives of the brotherhoods suddenly
acted and set the strike for September
4.
Stand for Arbitration Futile.
The railway managers based their
decision to reject my counsel in this
matter upon their conviction that
they must at any cost to themselves
or to the country stand firm for the
principle of arbitration which the men
had rejected. | based my counsel up
on the indisputable fact that there
was no means of obtaining arbitra-
tion. The law supplied none, ear
nest efforts at mediation had failed
to influence the men in the least. TO
stand firm for the principle OF arbi-
tration and yet not get arbitration
seemed to me futile and something
more than futile, because it involved
incalculable distress to the country
and consequences in some respects
worse than those of war, and that in
the midst of peace.
Il yield to no man in firm adher-
ence. alike of conviction and OF pur-
pose, to the principle of arbitration in
Industrial disputes; but matters have
come to a sudden crisis in this partic-
ular dispute and the country has
been caught unprovlded with any
practica BILE means OF enforcing that
conviction in practice (by whose lauIt
we will not now stop TO inqulre.) A
situation had TO be met whose ele-
ments ana fixed conditions were M
disputable. The practical and patrl-
otic course to pursue, as II seemed
to me. was TO secure immediate peace
by conceding the one thing in the de-
mands of the men which society ~
self and any arbitrators who repre-
sented public sentiment were most
likely to approve and Immediately lay
the foundations for securing arbitra-
ton with regard to everything else
involved. -.
Safeguard for Future Desired.
THE event has confirmed that
Judgment. | was seeking TO compose
the present in order to safeguard the
future: for | wished an atmosphere
of peace and friendly cooperation III
which to take counsel with the rep
resentatiVes of the nation with regard
to the best means for providing So
far as ii might prove possible 10 pro-
vide situations in the ruture-the best
and most practicable means OF secur'
ing calm and fair arbitration OF all
industrial disputes III the days 10
come.
This is assuredly the best way OF
vindicating q principle, namely, nav
ing failed to make certain OF its oo'
servance in the present, to make GER
tain of its observance in the future
But l could only propose. l 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 turned out to be.
Having failed to bring the parties
to this critical controversy to con-
clusion, therefore / ,urn to you, DEEM
ing it clearly our duty as public ser
wants to leave nothing undone that
We can do to safeguard the life and
interest of the nation. In the spirit
of such a purpose. | earnestly recom'
mend the following legislation:
"First-Immediate provision fol
/ the enlargement and administrative
reorganization of the interstate COM
merce com.ssion along the lines EN-
bodied in the bill recently passed by
the house Of representatives and no"
awaiting action by the senate, in or
der that the commission may be able
TO deal with the many great and va
rious duties now devolving upon Il
with a promptness and thoroushnes'
which are, with its present constitu'
tion and means of action, practically
impossible.
Legal S-Hour Basis Proposed.
"Second-The establishment of al
s-hour day as the legal basis alike ol
work and of wages in the employment
of all railway employees who are actu'
ally engaged in the work of operat'
ing trains in interstate transports
ton.
4 "Third-T'he authorization of the
appointment by "the resident of
small body of men TO observe the act
ual results in expernce Of the adop
ton of the eight-hour day in railway
transportation alike for the men anc
for the railroads; It's effect in th'
matter of operating costs in the appli
cation of the existing practices ant