The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-01-09
RAIL LABOR
NOT ASKING
LEGISLATION
Satisfied with Present Condi'
tions so Long as Uncle
Sam Stays at Helm
MINE INSPECTION CERTAIN
Creation of Industrial Board of
Arbitration Also Consid.
cred Probable

''Full crew bill" and other railway
labor legislation which occupied q
prominent place in the last general as.
sembly will not crop up during the
present session. ..... 7.-..-i T.
The authority for. this statement is
ThOrwald MOstad of Minot, 4 hold.
over league senator who was spOkes'
man for the, railway. brOtherho0ds IN
the 18th assembly.
+, "The boys" said Senator Mcstad to.
day. have received several good ad,
vances from Secretary McAd0o, and
they are satisfied with conditions as
they are-so long as the United
States government. remains in control
of the railways. 1 wish you to make
especial note Of that last statement,
as long as the United States remains
in control of the railways :" ,zi&a
IL ahsc Mine legislation 4; s4esc
While, says Senator, Mostad,, moth.
ing definite has been. decided upon in
regard to mine legislation there Is
no question that there will be Great
ed the office of state mine inspector.
Few who have not been closely In
touch with the industry can realize
the extent to which coal mining has
been developed in North Dakota dur.
ing the last five years. The industry
today Is one of the heaviest employ.
ers Of labor In the state, and 1t Is
an industry which pays higher wages
than any other. Expert miners on q
royalty basis have frequently main
tanned an earning of $25 per day for
considerable period. The United Mine
Workers of America have organized
at least 2,ooQ coal miners in North
Lakota. - a '-a
There is little lissatisfact ton with
wages, but as workings penetrate
deeper and the number Of workmen
Is increased there comes an enhanced
danger from cave-ins, Rad air and gas,
although North Dakota mines, com
pared with the bituminous mines of
the. middle west, are remarkably free
from sulphur and injurious gases. The
North Dakota mine inspection bill
probably will closely follow statutes
now in force In Illinois. Indiana, West
Virginia and other middle west coal-
mining states, although instead of
county or district inspectors. the pow
ers probably will be concentrated In
the hands of one state inspector, who
NAV be authorized to select deputies
as the work Of his department increas.
es. Senator .Mostad is unwilling to
say whether 1t will be advisable to
connect this bureau with the commits
sionership Of agriculture and labor, Or
to make 1t Z distinct department.
:. Arbitratjon Board.
Senator Mostad also has in the
back of his head some ideas with re.
lati0n to the establishment of an ar
bitration commission. to be somewhat
similar in operation to the federal la.
Dor board. and to which. all industrial
differences must be submitted. Sena.
tor MOstad tentatively suggests that
such board be composed Of two EN-.
ployers, two employees and fifth
member, who shall act as chairman,
and who shall be of some profession.
al type. more or less independent OF
obth Of the other two.
North Dakota has not been cursed
with many labor disputes. 1t Is. how.
ever, fast becoming an industrial state
OF some importance, and Senator Mos
tad believes we should lock the stable
before the horse Is purloined. It Is
his opinion that right ultimately tri'
umphs In every labor dispute, and ne
believes that the state by creating
board OF arbitration may avoid
strikes, lock.outs and other abuses
which have cost eastern industrial
SO much In production,
wages and mutual good will.
It is possible that the bill as ulti'
mately submitted to the assembly may
for salaried chairman. or.
it may provide per diem and expenses
only for actual time served for all the
members, providing the commission
with,a full-time salaried secretary. In
any event. both capital" and .labor
fCnm%lnnaA IN pn1n EnnPl *