New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-20
The Real Railroad Wage Arbiter.


The reasons given by President Gar
retson of the Order of Railway Conduc-
tors for declining to submit to arbitra-
ton the differences between the railroads
and the railroad trainmen's unions are
altogether unsatisfactory. Mr.. Carrot
sons point of view is disappointingly re
dictionary. He wants to revive the Old
spirit of dog-eat-dog warfare within the
transportation industry. He ignores the
fact that the railroad industry is no long
er on the same self-sustaining, self-regu-
lating basis as other industries are. He.
seems to forget that the Federal govern
ment and the state governments have
taken over the regulation of the common
carriers and have set the transportation
industry apart as one affected through
and through with a peculiar public m.
tcrest.
The railroads no longer make their own
rates. They cannot control their own eX-
pcnditure and income. They are there
fore not in a position to deal as Tree
agents with their employees, or TO engage
in the sort of win-or-lose wage warfare
which used to be the rule before Federal
control was established.
The railroad nowadays is a semi-gov-
ornamental agency. and it will become lit
tie less than an out-and-out governmental
agency when the regulative power Of the
states is abolished and entire control is
taken over by the Federal authorities.
1t is inane at this stage in the inevi-
table process Of naturalization to ask the
railroads to deal with the wage demands
If their employees as if they had free
hand economically and could adjust their
earning power to a higher wage scale
They cannot increase their earnings un-
less they first obtain the consent Of the
Interstate Commerce Commission. The
Interstate Commerce Commission is the
real arbiter Of the situation. The wage
demands Of the unions should be sub
mitted to it. because it is the actual wage
making power 1t cannot avoid regulat-
ing wages so long as it regulates rates.
Mr.. Garretson says that the Interstate
Commerce Commission lacks the power to
fix wages. But that statement is only a
subterfuge 1t has the power, though 1t.
wishes to make a pretence Of not having
il. because the railroads still nominally
possess and exercise it. Mr.. GaretsoA
also saws that the commission does not
want to act as arbitrator on any question
y hich ultimately might come before it In d.
an application for increases in freight
rates.
If the commission holds such view, It
is merely lodging its obvious duty
Where the power lies the responsibility
must also lie. The railroads have a right
to ask that any reimbursement of their
wage scale shall be approved IN advance
by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
For if higher wages are due to the men,
higher rates are coincidently due to the
ailroads. No settlement of the present
wages and hours dispute is practicable
which does not have the sanction Of the
,ublic and of the governmental agencies
representing the public.
Arbitration direct by the Interstate
Commerce Commission or by board ao-
pointed under the Federal mediation law
is the only proper method Of ending rail
DAD labor controversies And no award
increasing wages should be made which
does not have to have the sanction OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission -
sanction morally binding it to approve
ate increases, by which alone the added
cost of railroad operation can be met.
III D,:nLnr