The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-01-02
SHALL PUBLIC INTEREST BE PARAMOUNT
IN RAILROAD DIFFERENCES?

~ AN<A4AANOhD
Bringing the subject of disputes between rail-
ways and their employees home to business men,
the Greenwood Business League through a refer
endum sent by the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States, is asked to 60 on record for or
against the following questions:
l.. Shall existing law be so amended or sup
plemented as to acquire full public investigation
of merits Of every dispute between railroad car
riers of interstate ommerc and their employees,
to be instituted and completed before any steps
tending to the interruption of transportation shall
be attempted?
2. Shall existing law be so amended or sup
Iplemented as to provide that upon any board of
investigation or arbitration OF disputes between
railroad carriers of interstate m and their
employees, the employers and employees shall
have equal representation and the public, as hav-
ing paramount interest, shall have a majority rep
|resentation?
8. Should Congress establish a permanent
statistical division under Interstate Commerce
Commission to study and compile statistics re-
lating to wages and conditions of service upon
railways, the records and services Of this division
to be Immediately available to- boards of investi-
cation or arbitration considering disputes be-
tween railways and their employees?
With the referendum is carried a report by
the National Chamber Railroad Committee of
which C. F. Weed, president Of the Boston Cham
Der Of Commerce, is chairman. AS explained by
Mr.. Hays, Secretary of the Greenwood Business
League, this report backs up President Wilson's
Legislative program for a settlement Of railroad
differences and advocates an affirmative answer
on the part of commercial organizations affiliated
with the National Chamber to the above ques-
tons.
It will be remembered that the Chamber of
Commerce of the United States by an overwhelm-
ing vote had asked that Congress direct the In
~terstate Commerce Commission to investigate 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 in
vestigation before a strike or lockout, but sug-
gests different agencies of laws for carrying it
out. It not only recognizes the interest of the
public as paramount, but provides it shall be par
amount by making the representatives of the pub
lie the majority on any board Of Cancellation or
arbitration.
Following the invariable rule the referendum
contains arguments for and against the recon-
mendations so that organizations may be fully in
formed before finally casting their votes. The
main heads Of the negative side of the question
ARE:
~ An investigation and publication 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. (2) Employees
are entitled to act collectively even when they are
in the service of enterprises of public utility.
(3) The proposal makes no provision to protect
the public after board of investigation has made
it's report except in so far as public opinion may
be effective. (5) Any prohibition Of strikes con-
tains an element of incompleteness unless there
lis regulation of other items of railway expendi-
|ture than labor. () The public's fundamental
Interest is not primarily in the rates it pays for
transportation but in the welfare Of a large body
of it's own members; this interest is not neces-
|sarily promoted by having on boards a majority
of members representing the public.
The balloting closes Tuesday January 80.