New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-21
No Longer the Public's Advocate


railroad strike. He is. therefore, no longer
TO be considered mediator, but partisan
of the employees whose cause he has
cspoused. He commands the railroads to
grant the "eight-hour day" describing 1t
in phrases which show he knows that the
term is a deluson and deceit, and adds
concerning his plan that he thinks the
"publc has a right to expect its accept
ance."
When the President makes himself
partisan in so vast an issue as the quarrel
between the railroads and part OF their
emploves he forfeits the right to speak
for the public as body. When ne ad-
vances specific plan that plan must be
Judged on its merits, and cannot be made
a thing accomplished simply because he
indorses ii. The public is anxious to have
the controversy settled without undergoing
the unimaginable horrors Of a general
railroad tie-up, and has looked to the Pres
ident 70 bring about an adjustment. But
even the President has no right and, fortu-
nately. utterly lacks the power to deliver
public opinion in favor Of a scheme Of set
Element which is not adjustment but an
arbitrary decree.
There are two outstanding faults in the
Presidents plan. The first is that 1t ac-
cepts q deceit put forth by the railway
unions and passes it along to the public
The eight-hour day which society knows
and favors. in general, in manufacture ane
stable business is not the "eight-hour day
demanded bv the railroad workers. What
they demand is merely basis for COM
putting wages, which would automatically
raise their pay % per cent, although IN
future actual hours of labor would I'M
doubtedly remain just as they now are
The effort 10 obtain higher compensation
is natural and commendable thing on the
mart of any individual or class Of workers.
The public should sympathize with it, and
usually does. But in this specific case, as
in all others. many things are to be taken
into consideration besides the desires OF
the workers. The men concerned IN tins
prospective strike are only one-quarter OF
the number of workers employed by the
railroads of the country. They already
are the highest paid workers, in their heid'
Their demands, if granted, would put on
tho railroads a burden of expenditure
which they say they are unable to meet
with Justice TO other employees than men,
bers of the four brotherhoods, to their
stockholders and the public which demands
a high standard Of service and safety.
The second great fault of the Presidents
plan is that it fails to take into consldera-
ton all these elements in the problem out
side the mems demands, which yet must be
considered if any settlement is to be OBJ
tanned which is not purely snap Judg-
ment. The Presidents plan, accepting the
mems side of the case, leaps before 1t looks,
and then the President invites the public,
which is presumably intelligent and capa-
bic of forming some judgment where its
interests are concerned, to accept and sup
port something concerning which 1t has
had no opportunity to form judgment.
No necessity exists for such course.
The railroad managers and the railroad
presidents, make proposal which is not
only sound in principle, but sane and wise
in practice. 1--WE want to do justice to all,
they say. mot only to this small part OF
cur employees, but TO the others, to our own
ers, the shareholders, and TO the public,
whose property and lives we are response
bic for. An honest difference of opinion
exists about the possibility of doing JUS
tice to all if we grant this wages increase
with our present income. Therefore, let
neither side act arbitrarily and selfishly,
but let us submit these issues to arbitration
bv an impartial body. Let the public and
all parties in interest have opportunity TO
study the facts then disclosed. Let US not
fight. beast fashion, but go into court for
fair investigation and fair decision, like
reasoning and reasonable human beings"
From the beginning of the controversy
the railroad operators have sought arbitra-
ton, either by board under the Newlands
act. the decision of which board would
have the force Of law, or by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. They have APP
pealed to a sense Of fair play which more
and more is making itself felt in labor
questions the country over. They have
sought, by arbitration, an impartial hear
ing, an investigation of the facts by gov
eminent agency, rather than the disastrous
appeal to class feeling and the resort to
force. Their position has been enlightened,
intelligent and singularly public spirited
for a group of Capitalists" who are com
monty supposed TO think of the public
merely as the source of dividends and of
workers as material to be ground into the
roadbed.
The employees have persistently refused
70 meet them on this ground. The Presi-
dent Of the United States, with all the
great prestige and powers of his office. by