New-York tribune., 1922-02-08

ganizcd labor viii aprcar at the hear
ings on the bill and give testimony
against it,"
The employers view Of the bill is set
forth at length in a digest of it's pro
visions issued yesterday by the New
York Board of Trade and Transporta-
tion, which drafted the measure and
leading the fight for it's enactment.
This in part rcads as follows:
"The obligation imposed by the law
TO make all reasonable effort to settle
a dispute is to compel employers and
employees to bear in mind that their
conduct in this respect is a concern Of
the public and Of the state; that the
state has the duty. right and power to
require them to make such reasonable
effort TO protect the public The maxi
ing of a reasonable effort is question
of fact: the neglect or refusal to do so
is a misdcmcanor.
Made to Protect Public
"Thc requirement that the argricvcd
party shall make a statement in writ
ing of the cause or causes Of the dis
pute. also the answers and reioindcrs
and to hlc them with the Industrial,
Commissioner is made pcrcmptory in
the public interest. When a dispute
affects the public welfare it is not the
concern Of tho dsputants alone. The
public has q right to know the specific
cause or causes thereof. The public,
i. C.. the state. cannot consent to he left
out OF liberation or with such scant,
inaccurate or possibly contradictory in
formation as is contained in a verbal
statement by the parties
"Ihe written statement viii narrow
the dispute to the causes stated in
writing and exclude discussion Of
cNtraneOus matter. 1t will diminish
occasions for friction and tond 70 mod
Grafton in exchange of views. The
statements being public records, CON
sidcration of the effect which un-
reasonable demands would have upon
public opinion will also tend to mod
Grafton.
"A restraining order which either
employer or employee may apply for
statement with the commissioner is
also step that the public, j. g., the
state, has a right, as an interested
party, to take or permit n order to
allow the full operation Of all the
means provided for adjusting a dispute
and before either party thereto is
allowed to take drastic or pro ciptate
measures affecting the public.
ut is as much designed in the in
terest OF the employee and employer as
it is in the interest OF the public. In
a strike the employees are generally
the greatest suNcrers-thcy suffer the
total loss OF waEes-the employer suf
fers loss of profit and interest on
investment when his plant is idle
Both suffer and the public suffers.
Restraining Order Vital
"Moreover, the fact that a restrain
ing order may be procured by either
party will tend to restrain incorporate
propcnstics and often make such re-
straining order needless.
During this period. whether the
status is temporarily maintained by
restraining order or by restraint
Of the parties, the Industrial Commits
sioner is required to make effort to
effect settlement. He can do this By
such means as he may elect. But per-
haps ne finds both parties determined
in their course; they will consent to no
compromise, no cancellation or arb-
tration. The parties would pc advised
Of the ir privileges under this Jaw. If
the employees are the aggrieved par
ties they would be told that if they
strike or quit work they lose all wages;
that wages depend upon work. If they
claim increase of wages, that any in
crease depends upon continuing to
work; that if they continue work under
this new law they VIII not impair any
right they might lave to an increase.
"The Supreme Court is open to them
if they continue work. and it is their
privilege to applr to that court for al
order requiring the employer to show
cause why as q matter OF economic
legal justice ne should not increase
wages. If they can show any measure
of justice in the demand for Increased
wages, the court may be depended upon
to give just measure of remedy.
When the decision is reached they have
a right to such increase as the court
awards, and the increase will date back
to the time of the application for the
order to show cause