The Detroit times., 1916-08-30

oOO,OOO.
that Justice was done the railroads
In the outcome I felt warranted In
assuring them that no obstacle OF
law would DE suffered 10 stand In the
way e their increasing their r"Ve-
nues To meet the expenses resultins
yelopment Of their business and Of
their administrative efficiency did not
prove adequate 10 meet them. The
public and tho representatives. OF the
public, 1 felt justified in assuring
them. wer" disposed 10 nothing but
justice In such cases and were will
ing to serve those who served them
The representatives. OF the brother
hoods accepted the plan; hut the rep
iresentatives OF the railroads declined
to accept II In the fact ~ what |
cannot but regard az tho practical
certainty that they Will be ultimately
ubli Ged 90 accept the eight hotr day
by the concerted action ~ organized
labor. backed nv the favorable judg-
ment 90 society. the representatives.
81 the railway management have felt
Justified In declining a peaceful set.
tl"nent which would engage all tho
forces Of Justice. public ard privnt".
on their side. 20 take care Of the
event The, feel the hostile intlu-
, ence ~ shlppors who would he OPP
posed 90 an incresa" ~ freight rates
for which however Of coNse the
public Itself would payJ. they APP
parentl' feel no confidence that the
interstate commerce commission could
withstand To-" objections that would
be made They DO not care to rely
upon the friendly assurances ~ the
congr"ss, or tho president They
have thought u best that they should
he forced .to Weld. n they must yield.
not hy counsel. but by the suffering
~ tho country While my confer
ences with them were in progress.
ance. those corferer ce7 had come n a
standFtill the representatives OF the
hr0therhnods suddenly acted and set
Tho strike for Sept.
The railroad managers based their
decision 10 reject my counsel In this
, matter upon their conviction that
they must. at any cost 10 themselves
or 4" tn" country stand Arm for tho
principle ~ arbitration. which the
men had rejected I based my coun
/ sol upon tho !ndisputable fact that
there was ON means ~ obtni Ming ar
htration The law supplied none.
failed 10 influence tho men IN the
least To stand Arm for the principle
/ of arbitration and Sr' not get nrbl-
trRHon seemed 10 futile nnd
something more thnn futile, because
II involved incsicuInbIe distress 10
the country md consequences In some
respects worse than those OF vnr.
AVID that in the midst OF peace.
-,
alike, % conviction and of purpose "a
the principle of arbitration In Indus
trial disputes, hut matters have come
10 sudden crisis In this particular
dispute and the country has becn
caught unprovlded with my practI-
cnbiP menn' of enforcing that convIc-
ton In practice thy whose fnuh We
viii not now stop 60 inauirel. A ait
uatiUn had TO be met whose clements
ana fixed conditions were indispuf-
able The practical and patriotic
course To pursue. as if seemed - rts
was 20 secure Immediate peace by
mands OF the men which society Itself
and any aIb|trgfur4 who represented
public sentiment were most likely 20
approve. and Immediately lay the
foundation for securing arbitration
with regard 20 everything cloa IN
VOWED. The event has confirmed that
Judgment. was seeking 90 compose
The present in order 20 ssfeEuard the
future. for I wishcd an atmosphere
Of peace and friendly cooperation n
which 20 take counsel with the repre-
sentRtlves ~ the nation with regard
t. the best means for providing. so
far "a " might prove possible 70
provide. against the recurrence ~
such unhappy situations In the future
the best and most practicable
means or securing calm ana fair arbi-
tratinn OF all industrial disputes IN
the DAYS 60 come This Is assuredlv
the best way 81 vindlcating prin-
oiple namely. having failed TO make
certain 81 ite Observance In tho pres-
rnt. 20 make certain Of It's Observance
In the future
But I could only propose could
not govern the viii OF others who
took an entirely different view OF the
circumstances ~ the case who even
refused 90 admit tn" circumstances
20 he what they have turned out to
he
Having falled- t..-hrlng the parties
10 this critical controversy 70 an &C
commodBtion. therefore turn 20
YOU dcsmiuc II clearly our duty az
public servants to leave nothing un-
done that We can do 10 safeguard the
Ne and interests ~ the nation. In
the spirit " such n purpose. 7 earn
estlv recommend the following leg
islatiCn
First --Immediate provision Cor
the enlargement and administrative
organization OF the interstate COM
fnercc commission along the lines EN-
bodied IN tho bill recently passed nv
tho house or representatives. md now
awaiting action ny the senate IN or
der that the commission may he an
hblcd TO deal with the many great
and various duties now dsvolvinG
on IT with promptness and thor
oughncss which are with tie present
constitution and means Of action
practically impossible
second Tho establishment 81 an
eight hour day "a the legal basis
alikT or NUfk NnI WAGES IN tne tDl-
ploymcnt 90 NIL railway employees
who are actually engaged In the work
or operating trains In Interstate
Transportation.
Third authorization OF the
appointment by tho president or a
small body OF men to ohHerve the ac-
tual results ian experience OF the adop-
tion ~ tho eight hour day In railway
transportation alike for the mon and
FOR railroads. lite effects in the mat
tor " operating costs In tho applica-
tiOn ~ the existing practices ana
agreements tu tho new conditions and
IN all other practical aspects with
the provision that tho Investigators
ehail report their conclusions to the
congreGs ut the earliest possible date.
hut without recommendation as TO
legislative action: In order that the
public may learn from an UMPIRE
JUDGED source just what actual de-
Nolopments have ensued,
Fourth--ENplicit approval by tho
congress or the consideration by the
Interstate commerce commission Of an
Increase OF freight rates To meet such
additional expenditures by the rail.
roads ne may have been rendered
necessary by the adoption of the eiEht
hour day and which have not been
ofset by administrative readjust-
ments and economies should the Fac -
diEnl0sed Justify the increase
Fifth--An amendment Of the exist
ink fedora statute. which provides
a