New Britain herald., 1917-01-24
CAPITAL YS. LABOR
 TO BE DISCUSSED
Chamber of Commerce Asked for
 Vote on Referendum

1 brlnglng the SuDJeCt or disputes De- l tween railways and their employe es 1 home to business men, the New Brit ain Chamber of Commerce through q
 referendum sent by the Chamber of | Commerce of the United States, is 1 asked to go on record for or against
 the following questions:
 I.-Shall existing law be so amend ! ed or supplemented as to require f'!l public investigation of the merits of ] every dispute between railroad car , r:ers of interstate commerce and their employees, to be instituted and com l pleted before any steps tending to the | Interruption of transportation shall | be attempted?
 II.--Shall existing law be so amend 1 ed or supplemented as to provide that | upon any board of investigation or ar 1 Eitration of disputes between railroad carriers of interstate commerce and i their employees, the employers ana employees shall have equal represent tation and the public, as having par amount interest, shall have a major ity representation?
 III.-Should congress establish [ ornament statistical division under the interstate commerce commission to StuON ana cOulplle Sldt1SClCS lcldI- ing to wage and conditions of service upon railways. the records and ser vices of this division to be immediate ly available to boards of investigator cr arbitration considering disputes be- tween railways and their employees?
 4Advocatcs Majority on 4\rbitlation.
 With the referendum is carried a report by the. national chamber rail road committee of which C. F. Weed president of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, is chairman. As explained by Secretary Andrews, of the lccal chamber this report backs up Preei- dent Wilson's legislative program for {. settlement of railroad differences and advocated an affirmative answer on the part of commercial orgsniza tons affiliated with the national chamber to the above questions.
 It will be remembe that tre Chamber of Commerce of the United States by an overwhelming vote had asked that congress direct the inter- state commerce commission to inves- tigate the causes leading up to the threatened strike before a settlement be attempted. The new report fol- lows the same fundamental principle of a full investigation before a strike or lockout, but suggests the different agencies and laws for carrying it out. It not only recognizes the interest Of tie public paramount, but provides it shall be paramount by making the representatives of the public the ma- jority on any board of conciliation or arbitration.
 Pro and Con.
 Following the invariabIe rule the referendum contains arguments for and against tha recommendations so that organizations may be fully i'm formed before finally casting their votes. The main heads of the mega tive side of the question are:
 CD An investigation and publica- ton of the results will not always serve to enlghten public opinion, since many controversies involve questions different from the justice of an in crease in wages or of a decrease in hours. CD Employees are entitled to act collectively, even when they are in the service of enterprises of public utility. (3) Even temporary prohlnl- tion of strikes and lockouts may be intellectual. (4) The proposal maNcs no provision to protect the publlc all ter a board of investigation has made it's report, except in far as public opinion may be effective. (5) Any rrohibition of strikes contains an ele- n.ent of incompleteness unless there is regulation of other items of ~efl- wey expenditure than labor. (6) The publicS fundamental interest Is not primarily in the rates it pays for transportation but in the welfare of a large body of its own members; this interest is not necessarily prompted hno or1S ,oi nf members representing the public.
 The balloting closes Tuesday, Jan- uary 30.