Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1917-01-05
ASKED TO VOTE ON
RAILWAY REFERENDUM
Norwich Chamber of Commerce Will
Discuss Railroad Wage Fight Cues



Bringing the subject of disputes be-
| tween railways and their employees
home to business men, the Chamber
OF Commerce of Norwich, Connecticut
through a referendum sent by the
| chamber of Commerce of the United
| States, is asked to go on record for
or against the following questions:
Shall existing law be SO amended
| or supplemented as to require full
public investigation of the merits of
every dispute between railroad car
riers of Interstate commerce and their
employees, to be instituted and com
| pleted before any steps tending to the
interruption of transportation shall be
attempted?
Shall existing law be so amended
or supplemented as to provide that
upon any board of investigation or ar
bitration of disputes between railroad
carriers of interstate commerce, the
employers and employees shall have
equal representation and the public
as having paramount interest, shall
have majority representation?
Should congress esta b1ish n perma-
nent statistical division under the in
terstate commerce commission to
study and compile statistics relating
to wages and conditions of service up
on railways, the records and services
of this division to be immediately
available to boards of investigation or
arbitration considering disputes be-
tween railways and their employees
With the referendum is carried
report by the national chamber rail-
road committee of which c. F. Weed
president of the Boston chamber of
commerce, is chairman. This report
backs UP President Wilson's legisla-
tive program for a settlement of rail-
road differences and advocates an af-
hrmatiVe answer on the part of COM
mercial organizations affiliated with
the national chamber to the above
questions.
1t will be remembered that the
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 follows
the same fundamental principle of a
full inVeStiga ton before a strike or
lockout, but suggests different agen-
cies and laws for carrying it out 1t |
not only recognizes the interest of the |
public as paramount, bit pPovides it |
shall be paramount by making the |
of the public the ma
jority on any board of Cancellation or |
arbitration.
Following the invariable rule of re- |
ferendum contains arguments for and |
against the recommendations 50 that |
may be fully informed |
before finally casting their votes. The |
main heads of the negative side of |
the question are:
I'd An investigation and publica |
ton of the results will not always /
serve to enlighten public opinion,
since many controversies involve ques-
lions different from the justice of an |
Increase in wages or of a decrease in
hours. ca Employees are entitled to
act collectively, even when they are
n the service of enterprises of pub
ic utility. CD Even temporary pro- |
libItion of strikes and -lockouts may |
'e Intellectual "a The proposal |
makes no provision TO protect the pub
ic after a board of investigation has |
made its report, except In so far as
public opinion may be effective. (O |
Any prohibition of strikes contains an
dement, of incompleteness unless there
S regulation of other items of rail-
way expenditure than labor. (6) The |