Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-08-29

shippers who would be opposed to an
increase of freight rates (for which,
| however, of course, the public itself
would pay); they apparently feel no
/ confidence that the Interstate Com
merce Commission could withstand
| the objections that would be made
! They do not care to rely upon the
friendly assurances of the Congress
or the President. They have thought
it best that they should be forced to
yield, If they must yield, not by coun-
| sci, but by the suffering of the coun-
| try. While my conferences with them
were in progress, and when to all out
ward appearance those conferences
/ had come to a standstill, the repre-
sentatives of the brotherhoods sud
denly acted and set the strike for the
fourth of September.
| No Means to Get Arbitration
! The railway managers based their
| decision to reject my counsel in this
matter upon their conviction that they
must at any cost to themselves or to
the country, stand firm for the prin-
| ciple of arbitration which the men had
rejected. l based my counsel upon
| the indisputable fact that there was
| law supplied none; earnest efforts at
mediation had failed to influence the
men in the least. To stand firm for
| the principle of arbitration and yet
not get arbitration seemed to be futile,
and something more than futile, be-
cause it involved incalculable distress
TO the country and consequences in
some respects worse than those of
war, and that in the midst OF peace.
| Il yield to no man in firm adherence
alike of conviction and of purpose, to
| the principle of arbitration in indus
trial disputes, but matters have come
to a sudden crisis in this particular
dispute and the country had been
caught unprovided without any practi-
cable means of enforcing that convic-
ton in practice (by whose fault we
will not now stop to inquired. A situa-
ton had to be met whose elements
and fixed conditions were indisputable.
| The practical and patriotic course to
pursue, as 1t seemed to me, was to Sc
cure immediate peace by conceding
the one thing in the demands of the
men which society itself and any
arbitrators who represented public
sentiment were most likely to approve,
and Immediately lay the foundations
| for securing arbitration with regard to
everything else involved. The event
has confirmed that judgment.
To Prevent Recurrence
! 81 was seeking to compose the pres
ent in order to safeguard the future;
! for l wished an atmosphere of peace
| and friendly cooperation in which to
| take counsel with the representatives
of the nation with regard to the best
means for providing, so far as it might
| prove possible to provide, against the
! recurrence of such unhappy situations
| in the future-the best and most prac-
! ticabie means of securing calm and
fair arbitration of all industrial dis
putes in the days to come. This is as
suredly the best way of vindicating a
principle, namely. having failed to
| make certain of its observance in the
present. to make certain of its observ-
ance in the future. But | could only
propose. l could not govern the will
| of others who took an entirely diff
ferent view of the circumstances of
the case, who even refuse to admit
the circumstances to be what they
have turned out to be.
Wilson Admits Failure
! Having failed to bring the parties
| to this critical controversy to an ac-
| commodation, therefore, l turn to you,
deeming it clearly our duty as public
| servants, to leave nothing undone that
we can do to safeguard the life and
interests of the nation. In the spirit
of such purpose. l earnestly recon-
mend the following legislation:
First, immediate provision of
the enlargement and administra-
tive reorganization of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission along
the lines embodied in the bill re-
Gently passed by the House of
Representatives and now awaiting
action by the Senate; in order that
the commission may be enabled to
deal with the many great and var
ious duties now devolving upon il
with promptness and thorough
ness which are with its present
constitution and means of action
practically impossible.
Second, the establishment of
an eight-hour day as the legal
basis alike of work and of wages
in the employment of all rail-
way employees who are actually
engaged in the work of operating
trains in interstate transporta-
ton.
Third, the authorization of the
appointment by the President of
a small body of men to observe
the actual results in experience of
the adoption of the eight-hour
day in railway transportation
alike for the men and for the
railroads; its effects In the mat
ter of operating costs, in the ap-
pIication of the existing practices
and agreement to the new condi-
tions, and in all other practical
aspects, with the provision that
the investigators shall report their
conclusions to the Congress at the
earliest possible date, but with
out recommendation as to legiSla-
! tive action; in order that the pub
lie may learn from an unprcju-
diced source just what actual de-
| VclopmcntS have enSued.
| Fourth, explicit approval by
the Congress of the considera-
ton by the Interstate Commerce
Commission of an increase of
freight rates to meet such addi-
! tional expenses by the railroads as
| may have been rendered neces-
Sary by the adoption of the eight
hour day and which have not been
offset by administrative readiust-
mcnts and economies, should the
facts disclosed justify the in
| crease.
Fifth, an amendment of the
existing Federal statute which
provides for the mediation. con-
ciliation and arbitration of such
controversies as the present by
adding to il a provision that in
case the methods of accommoda-
tion now provided for should fail,
q full public investigation of the
merits of every such dispute shall
be instituted and completed be-
fore strike or lockout may law
fully be attempted.
i "And, sixth, the Judgement IN the
hands of the executive of the power, I'm
case of military necessity to take n
control of such portions and such roll
Ing stock of the railways of the eoun-
try as may he required for military