New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-20
Heads of Railways Issue
a Plea for Arbitration
President Holden Speaking for His Associates in'''''
That Justice Demands That tribunal Should August
Conflicting Interests.

Washington, Aug. fo.-The state
ment which President Holden Of the
Burlington made to President we
son to-day follo,Vs:
"The representatives of the railroads
here present have given careful consid-
GRAFTON to the proposals submitted by
you for an adjustment Of the critical
conditions confronting us. May we
again express the grave sense OF re-
sponsibilty upon our shoulders TO dis
charge, as faithful trustees Of the pub
lie interest, the duty 10 maintain ana
operate these properties as agencies
efficient at all times--to serve the con-
inuous public demand for transporta-
ton service faithful trustees also
to protect, in so far as II Is in our
power, the interests Of the owners OF
these properties committed to our
charge.
negotiations the conference COMMITTEES
of managers has consistently adhered
to the policy of arbitration as n funda-
mental principle, as it is essentially the
common right of every citizen Of what
ever nation in life to be heard, to have
his day in court; il is, indeed, a sub
stitute for wasteful litigation recog-
nized long since in the codes Of all
civilized countries.
Right Of Arbitration.
"A denial Of the right TO be heard
does not exist under any form Of gov
eminent with which our race has ever
been familiar, and the common accept
ance in international affairs, in the adj
justment Of public and private rights
under our Federal and state govern
ments, of the principle of arbitration
as an approved method for the friendly
settlement Of the serious contentious
of the parties has put the right TO
claim arbitration as q method of set
Ting such controversies beyond ques-
ton. For these reasons we have sup
ported our committee in its continu-
Gus demand, and in those important
particulars upon which no agreement
could be reached arbitration should oe
accorded upon any reasonable basis
that might be adopted.
Difference of Opinion.
1.-THE eight-hour day shall not at
this time stop to fully analyze or com
ment upon the importance of the dill
ference between the eight-hour day as
commonly understood in the building
and manufacturing trades and the So
called eight-hour basic day demanded
in this controversy-the eight-hour DAY
is, in our mature judgment, when con,
sidered in connection with railroad
train service, question upon which
honest minds may differ, and is, there
fore, necessarily a subject for arbitra-
ton In that manner the contentious
Of the parties may be considered and
fair answer given.
"Social questions affecting the ordi
nary work day in which for six days
week a regular daily routine is pursued
are those which determine how long,
during each Of these periods, the la
borer should work, and while in some
states eight hours has been adopted as
the desirable or compulsory maximum,
this broad land is to-day teemlng with
the contented and efficient industry of
millions of workers who are working
more than eight hours day. The
precedent therefore exists-it exists IN
fact-and the right or wrong of 1t, as
we feel, has not yet in this country
passed beyond the realm of debate.
Railroad Day Different.
"But these are not our problems. The
railroad day is a different thing as has
been patiently and. infer, many times
explained. Railroad trains run through
out the twenty-four-ho period-the
public demands that they run on Sun
days and holidays-they start at any
hour that the necessities may demand
they cannot stop until a terminal IS
reached, and many conditions, stated
and accidental, render it impossible TO
restrict the hours of railroad labor to
a fixed standard.
ain a general movement Of some years
ago the present ten-hour basic day was
negotiated and approved by the repre-
sentatives of railroad labor throughout
the country, and has continued with
some exceptions to the present day.
These exceptions have been worked out
under local conditions, different often
from the general conditions affecting
the question.
Ten-Hour Day Wanted.
"In several important arbitrations Of
railroad rates of pay and conditions Of
service within recent years-the last
within two years involving ninety
eight railroads serving the entire ter
ritory between Chicago and the Pacific
Coast-the ten-hour basic day was in
corporated in the demands of the or
CARNATIONS parties thereto, and made
the basis by them Of the rates and
rules awarded by the Federal Board.
AT the present time, in contro-
versy now pending over the Identical
questions involved here, and in which
numerous important railroads and a
national organization of switchmen are
parties, an arbitration through the
friendly Offices of the Federal Board Of
Mediation has been agreed TO, wherein
the question Of an eight-hour basic