The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-05-09
NEW REFERENDUM
IS SUBMITTED
Chamber of Commerce Wants
Light on Labor Question
THREATENED STRIKE OF RAIL-
ROAD MEN THE CAUSE.
Question Involved Is Whether Inter-
state Commerce Commission Is Body
to Act.

Referendum No. 16 has been sent out
by the National Chamber of Commerce
to all the local organizations con-
nected Herewith, the issue involved
being whether congress should order
the interstate commerce commission
to investigate and report as soon as
practicable the minimum, maximum
and average wages paid, with the
hours of service, to each class of rail
road employees in the United States,
and, so far as they are comparable,
the minimum, maximum and average
wage, with hours of service, paid i'll
other industries where skill is invol-
we'd, the relation of wages to railroad
revenues, the question of whether rail-
road rates, based on existing rates for
transportation will admit of equally
favorable terms to all classes of rail-
road employees, and any other mat
ter in connection with the investiga-
ton deemed relevant by the commits
sion; asking the railroads and rail-
road employees, to defer differences
pending a report from the commission.
The form of the proposition submit
ted is Congress should be asked to
direct the interstate commerce COM
mission to make immediate investiga-
ton and present a report as soon as
practicable, as proposed by the COM
mittee" The main resolution is head
ed by preamble which says, in effect,
that the controversy which has arisen
between the railroads and certain en-
pleyees relating to the shortening of
hours with corresponding decrease in
pay and for increased compensation
for service performed in excess of the
daily prescribed period may lead to
serious interruption of railroad SER
vice with disastrous effect on the pub
lie welfare and commerce of the ma
ton.
The arguments in favor of the reso-
luton summarized are: The public
has a paramount interest in securing
non-partisan statement of conditions,
being a deeply interested party to the
dispute; information in regard to the
relations of the railroads in all re-
spects except with reference to their
employees is available, or being gath
cred; the public is interested in hav-
ing the employees secure sufficient
wages to give efficient service and in
knowing that money collected by the
companies is not dissipated in excess
wages; the interstate commerce COM
mission is the proper body to investi-
gate the subject, on account of its in
innate familiarity with all other
phases of the railroad question and its
incidental familiarity with this phase
of it.
The negative arguments relate sole
ly to the question of whether the COM
mission is the proper body to collect
the data. No effort is made in the ar
gument against the report to deny
that the public ought to have the in
formation asked or that the public is q
par ty in interest; though it is suggest
ed that a public investigation into
trouble which is yet only problemati-
cal might be unwise. The negative ar
gument is that the interstate com
merce commission has already toe
much on its hands; that it has never
had any jurisdiction over the question
of wages and is therefore not peculiar
ly fitted by experience to gather th'
information needed even if it had tim,
to devote to it; that the efficiency o
the commission could not be increased
and might be seriously impaired b.
giving it a lot more work to do whe1
it is already overworked; that in tn
leueTdl DOdTQ Ol u6uldllOu anu COuClll
alton, which has to do with adjustmen
of labor disputes is the proper body t
make the investigation required if an
existing body is, and that there is
bill now pending for the creation of
joint congressional committee intro
duced on the recommendation of Pres
ident Wilson, for the investigation c
questions relating to railroads, an
such committee, if created, could eth
er investigate the subject at hand, o
recommend the creation of a specia
commission to make the investigation
Simmered down the question in
, volved is in regard to what body is fit
ted to make the investigation; whetn
er the interstate commerce commits
i, sion by reason of its Investigations i
other lines of railroad activities, keI
, very busy by such Investigations, is
: better body to get the information tha
the board of mediation and concilia
tion, the proposed joint congressions
committee of some new special bod
created for the purpose.
Mr.. and Mrs. r. H. Temple of Bois