The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-08-26
RAILROAD CRISIS IS
UP TO CONGRESS
Strike Seems Certain Unless Fed
eraI Commission Acts.
IT REPRESENTS THE PUBLIC.

One Of Which Provides For Inter.
state Commerce Commission as Ar.
bitrator - Also Oppose Arbitration
Provided b. Law They Helped to
Enact.
Washington Whether the wage con.
troversy between the railways and
their engineers, conductors, firemen
and brakemen is to be settled peace.
ably or by "A strike now seems TO de.
pend largely on what action congress
will take on the proposal TO refer the
question to the interstate commerce
commission.
The national conference committee
or the railways at the recent confer.
ence In New York with the train serv.
Ice br~otherhoods proposed settlement
either by submission to the interstate
commerce commission or by arbitra.
ton under the provisions OF the New.
lands law.
The brotherhood leaders promptly
rejected both proposals. no only OBJ
1ecting to the interstate commerce
commission as an arbitrator, but ex.
pressing their determined opposition to
the plan of arbitration provided by the
law which they had helped to get en-
acted.
To meet the objection that the inter
state commerce commission now has
no jurisdiction over railway wages the
committee representing the railways
proposed that we Jointly request con
gress to take such action as may be
necessary to enable the commission 10
consider and promptly dispose OF the
questions involved"
Upon the failure OF the companies
and the labor organizations to reach an
agreement the question was put up to
congress In another form. In a resolu-
ton which was introduced by Senator
Newlands on June % providing for an
investigation by the commission OF the
whole subject of railway wages and
eAN ANAHNibh " ny tulI1lAS.
This resolution was proposed by the
chamber of commerce of the United
States after having been approved by
a practically unanimous referendum
vote of nearly 1000 commercial organ.
izations throughout the country. The
Newlands resolution differs from the
proposal of the railways. The latter
refers only to the questions presented
by the demands of the IS per cent of
railway employees engaged In train
service and asks the commission TO set.
tie the controversy by a decision. The
Newlands resolution is much broader
and, without contemplating a final set.
Element by the commission. directs II
to investigate and report on ''the mini.
mum. maximum and average wage
paid. with hours of service, to each
class of railroad employees In the Unit.
ed States not merely the big four
brotherhoods of train employees. The
commission would also he directed to
report on the hours and wages I'm 9th.
er industries, the relation OF wages
TO railroad revenues. the question OF
whether railroad based on
existing rates for transportation will
admit OF equally favorable terms to all
classes of railway employees and "any
other matter I'm this connection that
the commission may deem relevant"
The br~otherhoods object strenuously
to any idea OF a federal tribunal fixing
wages and declare that an investiga.
ton by the commission would only
serve to delay matters. The only pro-
posal they have made Is that their de-
mands be granted In full, with the
alternative of a nation wide strike.
They insist that the railroads will be
more inclined to yield to their de
mands when confronted with a strike
vote.
In their reply to the brotherhoods the
railways advanced as their reasons for
proposing to refer the question to the
Interstate commerce commission that
1t Is 1.-THE only tribunal which by rea.
son OF Its accumulated information
bearing on railway conditions and Its
control or the revenue OF the railways
Is In a position to consider and pro-
tect the rights and equities Of all the
interests affected and to provide add
honal revenues necessary to meet the
added cost OF operation In case your
proposals are found by the commits
sion to be just and reasonable"
Whereas a board OF arbitration con
stituted under the Newlands act could
pass only on the questions presented
to 1t In an arbitration agreement sign
cd by both parties and would In no
way represent the interests Of the pub
Tic In the controversy. the interstate
commerce commission would not be so
restricted and could consider the rela-
ton OF the wages of the train and en-.
CINE men to those of the other en-
ployees,. as well as the necessary ef-
feet Of an increase In wages on the
rates to be paid by the public.