The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-10
NOT A REMEDY FOR
INDUSTRIAL Ills
Compulsory Arbitration Has
Failed Wherever Tried.
REVIVAL OF AN OLD ISSUE
System Has Broken Down In Both Aus
traiia and New Zealand and Was Also
Unsatisfactory In Canada - Those
Who Advocate This Plan Are Enc
niles of Organized Labor.


Who Advocate This Plan Are Enc
mics of Organized Labor.
As might be expected because Of the
recent threatened railroad strike, there
is much talk at the present time among
business and employing interests OF
some form of compulsory arbitration.
says the Shoe Workers Journal.
The chief trouble with these new ad-
vocates of compulsory arbitration Is
that they are thrashing over old straw,
only they do not know it. 1t is not
new issue at all. 1t is simply revival
Of an old one.
Only few years ago we were told OF
the wonderful success Of compulsory
arbitration in Australia and New Tea
land, but within recent years the en-
tire system has broken down in those
countries and labor troubles are more
rife because Of the revolt against the
tyranny of the state than ever before
in the history of those countries.
But there is an example nearer home
which has been often quoted to us and
some attempt made to copy in some of
the states, notably in Colorado. We
refer to the Canadian law for the In
vestigation of industrial disputes in
public service corporations, which is
generally understood to have been a
failure in Canada.
Who are these men that want to tie
the hands Of labor? If one looks them
up they will usually find them to be
men who in their own private business
have refused to recognize the right OF
| labor to organize and who would like
to obtain such legislation as would pro-
hibit wage earners from ever becoming
effectively organized. Without any ex-
perience In the arbitration Of industrial
disputes, they seek to prescribe COM
pulsory arbitration as remedy for all
| Industrial ills, thinking little that the
| incidental suppression of labor, though
successful for short time, but newt
| ably leads to more serious irruptions
later on.
| We, as an organization, have earned
the right and have qualified to express
some intelligent opinion upon arbitra'
ton founded upon our own experience
Having practiced voluntary arbitration
before state boards of arbitration and
| local boards of arbitration for eighteen
years and having followed that prac-
tice as a definite policy during that
length Of time, we may be pardoned II
we look upon some Of these new advo
Gates of compulsory arbitration as mere
amateurs In this line Of work.
We believe the success of the Massa
chusetts state board Of arbitration
which board has been more successful
than any other similar board In the
United States, Is due to the fact that II
cannot adjudicate an industrial dispute
until both sides have agreed to accept
its findings. 1t can mediate and en-
deavor to conciliate the parties and
often does SO. Sometimes 1t gets the
parties to dispute to agree to leave
the dispute to the settlement of the
board, but nearly all the cases tina
have gone to the Massachusetts state
board of arbitration where members, o.
our union are involved have gone tt
the state board In conformance will
the provisions Of our arbitration con
tract, which is a mutual agreement b,
the employer and the union, made il
; advance, to leave future disputes to tn,
Massachusetts, state board Of arbitra
ton for settlement.
The statement has recently beer
made after close analysis of the re
suits that have accrued from the fol
lowing of this policy that 80 per cent
Of the settlements have been satisfac
tory to both sides, with perhaps pei
cent Of the decisions satisfactory to la
Dor and possibly per cent satisfactory
to the employers. 1t is our judgment
that this statement is fairly accurate
and If so under the voluntary system
Of arbitration as worked out in oul
union and in our craft, If it has work
ed out 80 per cent perfect, it would b.
rash fool who would undertake tt
substitute compulsory form tina
would undoubtedly be 80 per cent i'm
perfect.
The idea that compulsory arbitration
shall be confined to certain specifies
public service corporations is hardl.
tenable. For instance, railroad EN-
ployees are human, like other people
and they like to reserve the right t
quit work, especially as long as the,
are In the employment Of private capt
tai. A public service corporation con
trolled by private capital, with EN-
ployees forbidden by law to leave thei
work, is inconsistent with America
ideas Of liberty Of the individual. /
the gentlemen wish to insure that Their
shall never be any interruption In tn
public service let them declare for gov
eminent ownership Of all public serI
, Ices, including the railroads.
|
Vote Raise For Federal Workers.
Salary or wage increases of from