Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-09-05
UNDERWOOD WANTS
BOARD TO DECIDE.
ALL R. R. DISPUTES
RECOMMENDS COMMISSION WITH
POWER TO FIX WAGE SCALtS
AND ALL RATES AS REMEDY
FOR PRESENT TROUBLES.

Washington Sept Establish
ment of a government commission OF
board with powers to fix both railroad
wage scales ana transportation rates
was advocated in the senate Thursday
by Senator Underwood of Alabama, q
Democratic member of the interstate
commerce committee
Without disclosing whether he ia
yored the interstate commerce com
mission as the proposed tribunal or
discussing the Cummns pIil's plan L.
prohibit strikes and lockouts of en-
ployes. Senator Underwood said the
interests of the public, Of capital and
Of railroad employees require such 4
plan,
Men will not strike, said the Ala
bama senator, "agains. the just de1i-
sons Of the government After a fair
determination OF the controversy by
an impartial tribunal, public sen't
mcnt will force the cOntendinE parties
to accept the verdict rendered as final
II must be done in The interest of the
men involved, the industry of thu
people and the peace of the nation.
The tribunal he proposed, Senator
Underwood continued, must have the
authority and power to protect the
rights of the whole people agains, the
recurrence of strikes and lockouts.'
Disturbance of transportation, no
said, affects the whole public and
therefore railroad employees owe OBJ
legations in their action different from
those in private industry.
There is but one way out, in my
judgment" he continued. and that is
to appoint a tribunal with the power
to adjust these matters which has
the time to consider and the oppor
tunity to know the facts A tribunal
of this kind must also have the au-
thority and opportunity TO consider
the rights Of shippers and travellers
who in the last analysis will bear
any increased burden that falls on
the carriage of property or persons
over the transportation lines.
If you want final and just solu-
ton Of such a controversy you are
practically driven to leaving the de-
cision to governmental commission
that has full and ample opportunity
to investigate the rates of wage, tie
earning power of the transportation
companies. the cost of living. the
burden that rests on the shipping pub
lie and to determine: First. what Is
fair, just and living wage for the men,
second, how far this charge can he
placed on the capital of the corpora
ton without breaking it down, de
bankrupting its property and taking
away from the investing public a fair
return for capital invested; third. how
far an increased charge for labor. in
terest or supplies can be handed
down to the public without doing
injustice to the shipper and traveller.
and without becoming a menace to the
development of industry
1T is essential that the board or
commission that is given the power
to adjust the wage scale of the men
must also have the power to reflect
its findings in the rates charged for
the transportation of persons and
property over the railroads"
Senator Underwood said the time
has come when contests Of brute
force between capital and labor must
cease and that the right of labor
should be recognized and protected By
law. as are those of property Pres
ent conditions, he said, are print
tive" and collective bargaining, he as
serted, cannot be pursued against gen
eral public interest. adding. however
that he does not favor laws requiring
labor by compulsion