Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-03-31
PUBLISHERS ASK FOR
FULL. ARBITRATION
Claim Old Agreement With In
tsrnational typographical
Union 10 Unfair.

AOsu~A'oUot tyPo8' oPtuSoi
Union 10 Unfair.
ers Association. including In its MEM
h~r~hip nearly all the leading daily
newspapers OF tho country. and the
International typographical Union
have for many years adjusted the dif-
fercnces that arise from time TO time
In tho work OF newspaper composing
rooms. under the provisions OF gem
cral arbitration agreement. In the ne
gotietion OF n new agreement to re-
place the present contract expiring
within a few weeks. a difference has
arisen which presents an issue. the
character OF which can be rightly
Judged only by an understanding OIL
the essential facts involved.
As n condition precedent to making
any arbitration contract whatever the
International Typographical Union has
always insisted that all differences
touching matters as to which the
union has from time to time adopt ed
certain laws" shall not be decided by
arbitration but by these laws. which
as the union states Il. shall be sac
rosanct" and themselves not subject
20 arbitration. Under this only partial
recognition of the principle OF arbi
tration all the contentious Of a char
acter considered by the publishers to-
he unfavorable TO their interests are
submitted 10 arbitration. while those
deemed by the union to be unfavorable
60 its side are not submitted 10 Rrbi-
tration IL any OF the unions laws" so
determine. The publishers have al
ways protested against this one-aidcd
and manifestly unfair restriction In
the application OF the principle In
yolved. but have accepted even this
limited arbitration rather than the al
Tentative OF no arbitration on any is
sue OF any kind. They have thus
yielded their equal rights during these
years because they believed that even
n partial application OF the principle
OF arbitration as n Just and practicable
method OF adjusting industrial differ
sncos would 40 demonstrate its value
60 both employer and employe as to
lead In due time 10 It's full acceptance.
The publishers believe that the time
has come when the same measure OF
arbitration should apply 10 the en-
last annual meeting Of their national
association they adopted the follow
ing resolution ~ instructions to their
committee appointed to negotiate new
arbitration agreements with the sew
cral unions Of the printing trades:
Resolved. That the committee con-
Clude arbiira zion contracts under
which there shall be no restriction re
gardine any matter nj Issue. hut that
az points of difference between mem
hers Of the association and the unions
of the printing trades shall be subject
&c arbitration
The publishers submit that this IS
but elemental justice.
That me difference between the ON
ployers and the union Is not An
academic one may he shown by a
consideration OF a single law" the
equity OF which the publishers in the
past have been prevented from chal-
longing by the ineistence OF the union
HAT Its laws should be sacred from ar
b.tration. This law, which always
comes as a surprise 10 those not al
ready Informed OF 81, provides that
the interchang:ng. exchanging, Dor
rowing, lending, or buying of matter
previously used either IN newspapers
between Job offices. ca between news
papers and Sob Offices or vice versa
rot owned by the same individual
firm or corporation, and published II
the same establishment. IS unlawful
and shall not be allowed. unless such
type or matrices are reset as nearly
like the original possible, made up
read and corrected and a proof sub
mittcd TO the chairman Of the Office.
This "law" requires that intelligent
men set type by machine and b,
hand. skilled men assemble the mat
ter; trained proo1readers read q 20
errors and these errors be corrected
and Aztec all this "a done that no US
whatever he made OF the product o
their labor but TO throw 81 in melt
ing pot or distribute r. the human ef
fort, time and money being utteri,
wasted.
This Is one OF the conditions wfnicl
IN. union seeks 10 perpetuate by a re
flsal 70 consent that its justice b
\ passed on by an impartial arbitrati or
l The publishers contend that this re
\ quirement OF this law" is nothin
short Of an economic crime, a vast
not tlSCe1llhis Va lfA'A'S's
They therefore now declare tina
they will no longer agree that bur
dens Of this sort shall continue {
be imposed upon them by the expedi
ent OF removing the law OF the unto
from the scope OF arbitration; tina
the arbitration agreement shall be
genuine one in which both parties ar
on q parity. and which gives neithe
the advantage OF imposing its unre
Stricted Will on the other.
II n but fair 10 cay that in the ne
gotiationA concerning a new agree
merit no attempt has been made b
the Executive Council OF the Interna
,lonal Typographical Union 10 just
IN the provision OF the present an
former contracts TO which the pull
lxhers now object. but that they hay
declined TO accept the amended forI
OF agreement proposed by the publish
ers only on the ground of their appre
hension that the membership OF =
union would not ratify an agreemeI
placing the two parties on ecu;
terms.
However there is a growing sent
ment in the rank and file OF the loo,
unions throughout the country whic
recognizes TIE unfairness. and Their,
fore the mia take OF the unions o.
contention for restricted arbitration
q change OF sentiment which sugges
tho possibility that the officials of II
union may decide finally 10 subm
the matter 10 a referendum Of II
membership for decision.