Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-01
MANY STRIKES HALTED
By CANADIAN Plan
COMMISSION INVESTIGATION LAW
PREVENTS III INDUSTRIAL
CONTROVERSIES.
PRELIMINARY INQUIRY
is MADE COMPULSORY
New Board to Review Complaints APP
pointed in Every case-Each Side
Selects One Member Of Board and
Third As Named by the Two--More
Satisfactory Than compuIsion.

Washington, Sept. 1.-Canada is at
war. Therefore Canada does not face
the danger of general railroad strike.
Trainmen of Canadian railroads belong
to the same four great unions which
| threaten to tie UP all the railroads in
the United States. wnen IL. asiitta
ton started the Canadians had meet
ing and decided not to take part in it.
Loyalty to their country at war pre-
vented.
Yet if there were no war Canada
would be free from such danger as
the United States faces. The trade
disputes investigation act stands in the
way. 1t was passed by the dominion
parliament in 1907. 1t does not pre-
vent strikes or lockouts. 1t does pre-
vent sudden strikes and lockouts on
all kinds of public utilities.
When q strike threatens, notice must
be sent to the ministry of labor In
der specified rules the minister then
appoints board of investigation. Each
side to the controversy may name one
of its members. If either fails to
make a choice the minister names a
representative for it. Those two try to
agree on a third member Of the board.
If they cannot agree the minister APP
points the third member
In every case. be it noticed, there is
a new board appointed. Both employ
er and employees can be sure that one
man on the board, at least, knows all
the peculiar conditions of their con-
tention. If the same official board
served in all disputes. its members
might get the reputation of being for
or against labor Under the Canadian
law there is a fresh board for each
case
Once constituted, the board of inves-
tigaton has almost all the powers of
court. 1t does not, however, issue
DEGREES. 1t merely makes recommen-
dations. II has no power to force
their adoption. 1t may compel how
ever. the attendance OF witnesses and
may take their testimony under oath.
AS a rule the proceedings OF these
boards of investigation are informal.
They hear the claims of both sides.
fully. Their testimony is published
quite generally turnout Canada. Thus
the public has a chance to learn the
facts IN the case and to make up its
Finally the board makes it's final
report containing its recommendations.
This final report IS also published thru
out the dominion in the most complete
manner. There it's work ends A lock-
out may now be instituted or a strike
called In practice there is rarely any
such conclusion. In nine cases out of
ten the recommendations OF the board
Canadians Like Plan.
Canadians think the plan more sat
sfactory than any scheme of compul-
sorry arbitration. 1t depends on getting
the exact facts, under oath, before the
public. which is always the third party
often the greatest sufferer-in such
disputes. An informed and active pub
lie opinion exerts a tremendous pres
sure. Few men are willing TO fly in
it's face. The most bullheaded en-
ployer hesitates TO defy it. The most
radical labor leaders fear it's effect.
In the daily sessions of these boards
the attempt is made to find points OF
agreement between the parties. Angry
passions on each side have time to
cool. 1t usually takes between one
and two months for a board to meet,
hear all the testimony and prepare it's
final report. During that period there
can be no lockout or strike, under
penalty, just as penalty is provided
for resorting to either. in the first
place, without calling in a board OF
investigation.
The plan has worked excellently in
Canada. 1t is notable that the en-
ployes have been quicker to take ad-
vantage of 1t than the employers. Dur
ing the first six wears the act was in