the armies of labor-第18部分

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ost　of　living　was　rising　rapidly　and　he　addressed　himself　to　the　adjustment　of　wages。　He　divided　the　country　into　three　sections　in　which　conditions　were　similar。　He　began　in　the　Western　section；　as　he　was　most　familiar　with　that　field；　and　asked　all　the　general　managers　of　that　section　to　meet　the　Brotherhood　for　a　wage　conference。　The　roads　did　not　accept　his　invitation　until　it　was　reenforced　by　the　threat　of　a　Western　strike。　The　conference　was　a　memorable　one。　For　nearly　three　weeks　the　grand　officers　of　the　Brotherhood　wrangled　and　wrought　with　the　managers　of　the　Western　roads；　who　yielded　ground　slowly；　a　few　pennies'　increase　at　a　time；　until　a　satisfactory　wage　scale　was　reached。　Similarly　the　Southern　section　was　conquered　by　the　inexorable　hard　sense　and　perseverance　of　this　new　chieftain。

The　dispute　with　the　fifty…two　leading　roads　in　the　so…called　Eastern　District；　east　of　the　Mississippi　and　north　of　the　Norfolk　and　Western　Railroad；　came　to　a　head　in　1912。　The　engineers　demanded　that　their　wages　should　be　〃standardized〃　on　a　basis　that　one　hundred　miles　or　less；　or　ten　hours　or　less；　constitute　a　day's　work；　that　is；　the　inequalities　among　the　different　roads　should　be　leveled　and　similar　service　on　the　various　roads　be　similarly　rewarded。　They　also　asked　that　their　wages　be　made　equal　to　the　wages　on　the　Western　roads　and　presented　several　minor　demands。　All　the　roads　concerned　flatly　refused　to　grant　the　demand　for　a　standardized　and　increased　wage；　on　the　ground　that　it　would　involve　an　increased　expenditure　of　7；000；000　a　year。　This　amount　could　be　made　up　only　by　increased　rates；　which　the　Interstate　Commerce　Commission　must　sanction；　or　by　decreased　dividends；　which　would　bring　a　real　hardship　to　thousands　of　stockholders。

The　unions　were　fully　prepared　for　a　strike　which　would　paralyze　the　essential　traffic　supplying　approximately　38；000；000　people。　Through　the　agency　of　Judge　Knapp　of　the　United　States　Commerce　Court　and　Dr。　Neill　of　the　United　States　Department　of　Labor；　and　under　the　authority　of　the　Erdman　Act；　there　was　appointed　a　board　of　arbitration　composed　of　men　whose　distinction　commanded　national　attention。　P。H。　Morrissey；　a　former　chief　of　the　Conductors'　and　Trainmen's　Union；　was　named　by　the　engineers。　President　Daniel　Willard　of　the　Baltimore　and　Ohio　Railroad；　known　for　his　fair　treatment　of　his　employees；　was　chosen　by　the　roads。　The　Chief　Justice　of　the　United　States　Supreme　Court；　the　Commissioner　of　Labor；　and　the　presiding　judge　of　the　United　States　Commerce　Court　designated　the　following　members　of　the　tribunal：　Oscar　S。　Straus；　former　Secretary　of　Commerce　and　Labor；　chairman；　Albert　Shaw；　editor　of　the　Review　of　Reviews；　Otto　M。　Eidlitz；　former　president　of　the　Building　Trades　Association；　Charles　R。　Van　Hise；　president　of　the　University　of　Wisconsin；　and　Frederick　N。　Judson；　of　the　St。　Louis　bar。

After　five　months　of　hearing　testimony　and　deliberation；　this　distinguished　board　brought　in　a　report　that　marked；　it　was　hoped；　a　new　epoch　in　railway　labor　disputes；　for　it　recognized　the　rights　of　the　public；　the　great　third　party　to　such　disputes。

It　granted　the　principle　of　standardization　and　minimum　wage　asked　for　by　the　engineers；　but　it　allowed　an　increase　in　pay　which　was　less　by　one…half　than　that　demanded。　In　order　to　prevent　similar　discord　in　the　future；　the　board　recommended　the　establishment　of　Federal　and　state　wage　commissions　with　functions　pertaining　to　wage　disputes　analogous　to　those　of　the　public　service　commissions　in　regard　to　rates　and　capitalization。　The　report　stated　that；　〃while　the　railway　employees　feel　that　they　cannot　surrender　their　right　to　strike；　if　there　were　a　wage　commission　which　would　secure　them　just　wages　the　necessity　would　no　longer　exist　for　the　exercise　of　their　power。　It　is　believed　that；　in　the　last　analysis；　the　only　solutionunless　we　are　to　rely　solely　upon　the　restraining　power　of　public　opinionis　to　qualify　the　principle　of　free　contract　in　the　railroad　service。〃*

*　The　board　recognized　the　great　obstacles　in　the　way　of　such　a　solution　but　went　on　to　say：　〃The　suggestion；　however；　grows　out　of　a　profound　conviction　that　the　food　and　clothing　of　our　people；　the　industries　and　the　general　welfare　of　our　nation；　cannot　be　permitted　to　depend　upon　the　policies　and　dictates　of　any　particular　group　of　men；　whether　employers　or　employees。〃　And　this　conviction　has　grown　apace　with　the　years　until　it　stands　today　as　the　most　potent　check　to　aggression　by　either　trade　unions　or　capital。


While　yielding　to　the　wage　findings　of　the　board；　P。H。　Morrissey　vigorously　dissented　from　the　principle　of　the　supremacy　of　public　interest　in　these　matters。　He　made　clear　his　position　in　an　able　minority　report：　〃I　wish　to　emphasize　my　dissent　from　that　recommendation　of　the　board　which　in　its　effect　virtually　means　compulsory　arbitration　for　the　railroads　and　their　employees。　Regardless　of　any　probable　constitutional　prohibition　which　might　operate　against　its　being　adopted；　it　is　wholly　impracticable。　The　progress　towards　the　settlement　of　disputes　between　the　railways　and　their　employees　without　recourse　to　industrial　warfare　has　been　marked。　There　is　nothing　under　present　conditions　to　prevent　its　continuance。　We　will　never　be　perfect；　but　even　so；　it　will　be　immeasurably　better　than　it　will　be　under　conditions　such　as　the　board　proposes。〃

The　significance　of　these　words　was　brought　out　four　years　later　when　the　united　railway　brotherhoods　made　their　famous　coup　in　Congress。　For　the　time　being；　however；　the　public　with　its　usual　self…assurance　thought　the　railway　employee　question　was　solved；　though　the　findings　were　for　one　year　only。*

*　The　award　dated　back　to　May　1；　1912；　and　was　valid　only　one　year　from　that　date。


Daniel　Willard　speaking　for　the　railroads；　said：　〃My　acceptance　of　the　award　as　a　whole　does　not　signify　my　approval　of　all　the　findings　in　detail。　It　is　intended；　however；　to　indicate　clearly　that；　although　the　award　is　not　such　as　the　railroads　had　hoped　for；　nor　is　it　such　as　they　felt　would　be　justified　by　a　full　consideration　of　all　the　facts；　yet　having　decided　to　submit　this　case　to　arbitration　and　having　been　given　ample　opportunity　to　present　the　facts　and　arguments　in　support　of　their　position；　they　now　accept　without　question　the　conclusion　which　was　reached　by　the　board　appointed　to　pass　upon　the　matter　at　issue。〃

A　comparison　of　these　statements　shows　how　the　balance　of　power　had　shifted；　since　the　days　when　railway　policies　reigned　supreme；　from　the　corporation　to　the　union。　The　change　was　amply　demonstrated　by　the　next　grand　entrance　of　the　railway　brotherhoods　upon　the　public　stage。　After　his　victory　in　the　Western　territory；　Chief　Stone　remarked：　〃Most　labor　troubles　are　the　result　of　one　of　two　things；　misrepresentation　or　misunderstanding。　Unfortunately；　negotiations　are　sometimes　entrusted　to　men　who　were　never　intended　by　nature　for　this　mission；　since　they　cannot　discuss　a　question　without　losing　their　temper　。。。。　It　may　be　laid　down　as　a　fundamental　principle　without　which　no　labor　organization　can　hope　to　exist；　that　it　must　carry　out　its　contracts。　No　employer　can　be　expected　to　live　up　to　a　contract　that　is　not　regarded　binding　by　the　union。〃

The　other　railway　brotherhoods　to　a　considerable　degree　follow　the　model　set　by　the　engineers。　The　Order　of　Railway　Conductors　developed　rapidly　from　the　Conductors'　Union　which　was　organized　by　the　conductors　of　the　Illinois　Central　Railroad　at　Amboy；　Illinois；　in　the　spring　of　1868。　In　the　following　July　this　union　was　extended　to　include　all　the　lines　in　the　State。　In　November　of　the　same　year　a　call　to　conductors　on　all　the　roads　in　the　United　States　and　the　British　Provinces　was　issued　to　meet　at　Columbus；　Ohio；　in　December；　to　organize　a　general　brotherhood。　Ten　years　later　the　union　adopted　its　present　name。　It　has　an　ample　insurance　fund*　based　upon　the　principle　that　policies　are　not　matured　but　members　arriving　at　the　age　of　seventy　years　are　relieved　from　further　payments。　About　thirty　members　are　thus　annually　retired。　At　Cedar　Rapids；　Iowa；　the　national　headquarters；　the　order　publishes　The　Railway　Conductor；　a　journal　which　aims　not　only　at　the　solidarity　of　the　membership　but　at　increasing　their　practical　efficiency。

*　In　1919　the　total　amount　of　outstanding　insurance　was　somewhat　over　90；000；000。


The　conductors　are　a　conservative　and　carefully　selected　group　of　men。　Each　must　pass　through　a　long　term　of　apprenticeship　and　must　possess　ability　and　personality。　The　order　has　been　carefully　and　skillfully　led　and　in　recent　years　has　had　but　few　differences　with　the　railways　which　have　not　been　amicably　settled。　Edgar　E。　Clark　was　chosen　president　in　1890　and　served　until　1906；　when　he　became　a　member　of　the　Interstate　Commerce　Commission。　He　was　born　in　1856；　received　a　public　school　education；　and　studied　for　some　time　in　an　academy　at　Lima；　New　York。　At　the　age　of　seventeen；　he　began　railroading　and　served　as　conductor　on　the　Northern　Pacific　and　other　Western　lines。　He　held　numerous　subordinate　positions　in　the　Brotherhood　and　in　1889　became　its　vice…president。　He　was　appointed　by　President　Roosevelt　as　a　member　of　the　Anthracite　Coal　Strike　Commission　in　1902　and　is　generally　recognized　as　one　of　the　most　judicial　heads　in　the　labor　world。　He　was　succeeded　as　president　of　the　order　by　Austin　B。　Garretson；　who　was　born　in　Winterset；　Iowa；　in　1856。　He　began　his　railroad　career　at　nineteen　years　of　age；　became　a　conductor　on　the　Burlington　system；　and　had　a　varied　experience　on　several　Western　lines；　including　the　Mexican　National　and　Mexican　Central　railways。　His　rise　in　the　order　was　rapid　and　in　1889　he　became　vice…president。　One　of　his　intimate　friends　wrote　that　〃in　his　capacity　as　Vice…President　and　President　of　the　Order　he　has　written　more　schedules　and　successfully　negotiated　more　wage　settlements；　including　the　eight…hour　day　settlement　in　1916；　under　the　method　of　collective　bargaining　than　any　other　labor　leader　on　the　American　continent。〃

Garretson　has　long　served　as　a　member　of　the　executive　committee　of　the　National　Civic　Federation　and　in　1919　was　appointed　by　President　Wilson　a　member　of　the　Federal　Commission　o