Evening star., 1922-08-26
sngtons Growth Reflected Real Estate and Building

mcrce Commission-is is functioAfHg
very well, and the struggle is now
over the Railroad Labor Board"
At this point Mr.. Babson was told
both the railroad managements and
the employees that the Railroad Labor
Board was not properly made up.
Concerning this. Mr.. Babson stated:
Unsatisfactory Functfoning..
"Experience has shown that boards
consisting of three groups Zone group
representing capital, one group rep
resenting labor and one group repre-
senting the public do not function
well. The group representing capl-
tai vote in one body for the corpora
tions. The group representing labor
vote in one body for the wage WORK
ers This leaves the decision to the
three men who represent the pupllc.
The problems involved are too great
three men chosen, more or less. ior
political reasons. To have the Kali
road Labor Board or any other such
board properly function, f1ve. seven
or nine men should be selected VINO
represent neither the corporations
nor the wage workers, but who repre-
sent the nation. These men should
be paid large salaries, given dignlneo
positions, appointed either for ne
or for long terms and treated iihe
the Supreme Court of the GnlIeu
States. These men should gradualiy
build up a. code baged upon their
rulings, seeking the advantage OF no
one group, but rather the Weltare ~
the nation as whole, which in tne
end would be for the best interests
of both the owners and the wax
workers. The decisions of this poaru
as applying to transportatlon' puu,
utilities and similar connicts shouio
be absolute and final.
Railroad owners are now Wiling 10
accept compulsory arbitration, Dut the
labor leaders are not. Some claim tne
labor leaders are afraid OF losing tneir
jobs. but do not believe TINS oet 10 De 'ie ir
reason. They appfar to be honest IN
their belief that enforcing men TO WORK
for profit is only form Of slavery.
Forcing a man to work in a steel piant
which is operated for profit may De a
form of slavery. If compulsory arna-
tainly would be reverting to slavery.
When, however, it is applied only to
transportation. public utilities, coal
mining and one or two other lnous-
tries, thus leaving the great held open,
compulsory arbitration cannot be called
slavery / say this because under such
conditions any man who did not wish to
work for the railroads. the public utili-
ties or the coal operators would De tree
| to go into competitive industry TO Whlcn
compulsory arbitra ton would not apply.
The labor leaders state they are willing
to accept compulsory arbitration-as
best exemplified by the Kansas indus
trial court-provided the railroads.
public utilities. coal mines. ETC., are
operated by the government not for
profit. They illustrate their case. by
stating that this is the reason they are
willing to be drafted for the Army. be-
cause the Army is operated by the gov
ernment. and not by individuals for
profit, and that this is why being draft
ed for the Army is not form OF
slavery.
Public Not in Mood.
This may be all right in theory"
continued Mr. Babson, but the public
is in no mood at present for further
government operation. The results of
the war. in connection with the opera
ton of the railroads. the building and
operation of ships and the various other
interests in which the government took
a hand. show that under present condi-
tons government operation is expen-
sive. inefficient and unsatisfactory. The
public believes today that better organi-
zation. better discipline and lower costs
come through private operation. The
public further believes that private
operation should continue so long as
the present employees Of the railroads.
public utilities and coal operators are
not compelled to work for the owners
of these properties. but are free to leave
them and work for other people, and so
long as there are plenty Of other men
available and willing to work on the
railroads. public utilities and, coal mines
fContinuef, ON Fourteenth, Page.)