New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-18
THE PUBLIC'S REMEDY
Compulsory Unionizaticn Of Public Service
EMPLOYEES and Arbitration.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: New York City has just drawn
breath of relief at It's escape from general
strike of the employees Of its passenger
transportation lines, but the questions at
issue do not appear to be fully settled and
new strike is threatened. Still more impOr-
tant than the local trouble is the threatened
strike of the employees of the interstate rail-
ways. which to "A neutral" is intolersble.
A strike on the New York City passenger
lines would be bad situation at best and
would cause suffering and arrangement IN.
told, but a strike on interstate railways would
he akin to war do not believe that any ones
Imagination can half foresee the misep.
crime and disruption of business that woula
result from such catastrophe. IL seems "
me that under such circumstances It oenooves
the public, which is the third party by iH
the most interested party-to the controversy
to see that such things are not possible
| propose the following remedy:
1. BY laws of Congress or of the States N
appropriate cases compel the employees 0.
all public utility corporations to unlonHe ana
incorporate and select authoritative once"
and representatives 70 deal with the manages
of the utilities on all questions in when me
parties are interested, and compel every en-
ploye of such corporation, on entering Inc
service, to join the union.
. Prohibit. under severe penalty, any per-
son or persons from calling or partclpaung
in a strike, or instituting or enforcing IoeA'
ont of the employees of public service cor
poration, and under like penalty prohloh ehs
employees of a public service corpots"O"
from quitting work in body or IN groups
The simultaneous or substantially simu",
neous quitting of more than 10 per een' V
the employees of any one public service e0,.
poration in any one month saould De m'1s
presumptive evidence of the aforesaid CREE,
and should put the burden upon the empl0'e,
so quitting TO show that the quitting was NV
done through organized effort. A..
8. Authorize the representatives OF ~.
union and Of the service corporations 70 az
for stated terms on such matters as 'N''
can. -. a,
4. Provide that in case OF the isliuie
the parties to agree the point or poin,'
issue should be reduced 10 Writing anu
ferred to the Interstate Commerce N0 nASr.
sion in appropriate cases, and 70 the ~.
Service Commission in the states "h'"
utility operates wholly within slhsie II
These commissions should be empowered
directed TO summarily investigate inc W.
tions at issue, and TO make orders III ~
premises. 49,. :. rsves
These orders should be subject 70 ie
and corrections by the courts. -. Ant.
The foregoing is only given as pre- 80,
line and of course would need amplIheS''O.
70 work out practically. | do not sec o.,
thing unconstitutional in the foregoins 20,
Soldiers and policemen cannot strike Oees ..rS
81 the hours of service, etc. why not 80;
the same principle TO those engaged III q"'
public service r.oss
I believe in labor unions and goou
short hours and sanitary conditions GO
believe in a fair return on capital IA
7 also believe in the rights Of the puoi.' ;,b
policy should prevail on either s'ue ~ sor.
saws 1.-THE public DC damned" Laoo, ~
have often fallen into bad hands "S" Ter.
our uublic service corporations arc 90.
centralized, and the "water" IN sueh . liz,
iza.ion should be squeezed out IL l".s,s
az natural consequence that puoHs mot
cornoration which is over-capitailIeu Ems "sms
nav dividends and good wages al inc
time. ,,h,,law Why
sbould two Strangers. fight on the puS .o,,.
front doorstep 10 the terror OF 'he ,s,y
mnnitvq That they will fight as long as 'S
aro lot 10 themselves is plain. Inc -.
should have a remedy-s remedy aga,n '.;. %
scts If the few which result in paraSns
the community.
New York, Aug. IL, 1910.