Show COMMITTEE HEARS ARGUMENTS BY V BOTH SIDES ON BILL WASHINGTON Aug 31 The senate interstate commerce committee arranged its first public pub pub- I lic lie hearings on the hour eight-hour I measure today and allowed three i hours e each ch for argument by brotherhoods brotherhoods brother brother- hoods and railroads The plan was to present the finished draft to the senate enato Saturday ready for Immediate action n. n I The I 2 Qu S JJ y was va not t. t dis disposed dJs dJs- posed to wait watt so long Its rs s trida t F Fi rida i ay afternoon as the time tithe when when they they wo would would- ld ta take ce the initia initiative he if if the sen senate t fo h a t and gave a assurance assurance as as- that tIie h house io would pass the measure then under special rule making it effective Nov November 1 A ATTITUDE OF CONGRESS I I The measure contemplated would establish eight hours as the standard standard stand stand- ard work day for railroad engaged in interstate commerce it would authorize appointment by the president of of- ofa a commission to study general conditions under the tue eight eight- I hour day and report its recommendations to congress to the president and through the president to the inI interstate interstate in in- commerce commission Pending Pending Pend Pen d I ing the report daily wages should not notI I be reduced below the present pay for longer hours houn Other measures were under contemplation contemplation contemplation con con- but the hour eight-hour day and investigation proposals were regarded regarded re reo re- re as the most effective pieces of emergency legislation The attitude of ot congress today today- today today- that of determination to prevent the strike was strike was exemplified by the reso resolution resolution lution pending in the senate calling on brotherhood officials to suspend the strike order for one week and the statement of Senator Thomas that if it the government failed to protect the public in such a a crisis it had no right to call itself a government Elisha Lee chairman of the managers managers' managers managers' managers managers' man man- agers' agers committee headed the delegation delegation delegation tion of railway officials which included in In- eluded President Underwood of the Erie President Willard of the Baltimore Baltimore Balti Balti- more Ohio Samuel Rea flea president I of the Pennsylvania Fairfax Harrison Harrison Harrison Harri Harri- son president of the SoutI Southern ern and R. R S. S Lovett chairman of the board of the Union Pacific Representing the men were A. A B. B Garretson W. W G. G Lee W. W S. S Stone and W. W S. S Carter the lie four brotherhood heads Officials of the American Federation Federation Fed Fed- of Labor headed by President Gompers Assistant Attorney General Todd and E E. E. E lark dark of the interstate commerce commission also were pres pros ent At the outset of the hearing SenaI Senar Sena- Sena I r I tor mr Newlands Chairman of nf the com corn announced its purpose purpose and said none rione of the proposed legislation I included compulsory arbitration GOVERNMENT INQ INQUIRY IRY It simply provides he said slid In Incase Incase incase case of the failure of voluntary mediation mediation media media- tion Uon and arbitration for a government inquiry and the stay of the of I all the Ute parties to tho the controversy until I Investigation and report should be I made leaving them free thereafter to act as they might be advised Senator Newlands spoke spoke spoke-ot of the short time remaining f fOr r congress to a act t and said This present dispute Jf if carried to its extreme will involve the tho United I i a civil war The Tha question is I whether w wp wt cannot find tind some me meant means ns I of bringing about a settlement of ot this thit I dispute between bet and em em- without resort to force Th The broth brotherhood representatives I were he heard rd first At the the request st of 01 Mr Garretson it was agreed that the tho I brotherhood leaders should address the thi I committee two hours in opening and I an n hour in in closing Between those periods representatives of ot the employers em em- and shippers have six hours He lIe announced that besides the heads head of the four Samuel Gompers Gom Gom- pers president of ot the American Federation Fed Fed- ei of Labor also would speak Mr Garretson then began with a a L general general review Jew of ot the circumstances circumstanced I Continued on pane page 2 COMMITTEE HEARS ARGUMENTS BY BYBOTH BY BOTH SlOES Continued from page 1 which led up to the tho present conditions It was the tho belief beHe of labor organizations organizations ho hI said that differences between employers and should not bo be settled by legislation but rather be between between between be- be tween themselves The success of any labor organization tion lies to an extent in its militancy mill mili tancy r he said We are ate in a a. grip o of a power greater than we and it Is unfortunate that this situation has arisen but I r believe if it a settlement can be effected by congress even though we are arc opposed to legislative settlements we are willing to waive the age old tradition against it Today thousands o of men throughout through through- out this country are working from twelve to sixteen hours hours o of which there i is no complete record record The brotherhoods demand the human right to enjoy some o of the things that other men enjoy We Ve believe that the human element I should be considered regardless of its effect on dividends The obligation on the part o of the railroad employer is as great to keep the human element in good condition as the wooden and iron I property of the road Mr Garretson argued that the effect o of an Increased wage or dividends i should i dot of be considered when it was obvious that were not being I paid a proper wage A bankrupt road cannot buy its coal any cheaper than one that is paying 33 per cent then why should any road buy Its labor for less than It is worth because a a. proper wage would decrease its profits Attacking the railways railway's plea for arbitration as insincere Mr Garretson insisted that it was not offered to men who were so poorly organized that they could not e demands I say on behalf behal o of the railroad men Mr Garretson declared emphatically that there is evidence today o of a deadly danger underlying the social socil crust and that it is liable Hable to be brought to the surface unless means are found to settle this difficulty before it can reach the danger stage Finally he declared the brotherhoods' brotherhoods officials could only call can of off the by reporting reporting reporting report report- ing that a satisfactory settlement had been made To postpone the strike after the men had voted it Garretson declared would mean the disintegration o of the brotherhood and the turning over to the mob of the trains as in 1877 and 1894 I want to Impress on the committee commit commIt- tee tee said he that since the beginning beginning beginning begin begin- ning o of these negotiations no definite proposal ever has been made to us by bythe bythe bythe the other side They have said but butone butone butone one thing they have offered to leave the whole matter to the interstate commerce commerce commerce com com- merce commission Mr Garretson added that he wanted to a assure the senators that the brotherhoods brotherhoods brother brother- hoods hoorIs w were rc opposed to arbitration We Yo in the principle o of arbitratIon arbitration arbitration arbi arbi- he lie said but not in tion where we stand only to lose There ha have va been many men on nur our arbitration boards Under ordinary processes of our policies policies policies pol pol- said Garretson we would be out of accord with all of the five propositions made by the president But In the hope o of effecting a a. settlement settlement settlement settle settle- ment we are willing to waive many deep rooted principles and we are willing willing will will- ing Ine to tl aid in passage or of a legislative remedy that will make It possible to re recall recall recall re- re call the order to strike September 4 The hour eight-hour law accompanied by bya a provision to assure the ten hours hours' pay pending inquiry and I suggest a provision that the government should bring suit in case a road refuses to grant the pay as is provided in the hours o of service law would satisfy us in this emergency As for tor compulsory arbitration said Mr Garretson no influence that ever can be brought to bear can induce our organization to accept it I want to go goon goon goon on record here as protesting against anything that savors o of making men stay at work during an investigation Senator Newlands NeW interrupted Garretson Garretson Garretson Gar Gar- retson to say It was his understanding that the proposed bill would not prevent prevent prevent pre pre- vent any man from leaving his employment employment employment em em- during an investigation Concerted action he said was what It was designed to prevent Quite true Garretson said but if it only men individually threatened to strike to the railroads we would not be here now discussing this proposed legisla legisla- tion The brotherhoods Mr Garretson said would not oppose being drafted to run trains as long as it was only for military purposes Asked of ot the attitude of ot the brotherhoods brotherhoods brotherhoods broth broth- on Senator Leas Lea's pending resolution resolution resolution res res- to have the strike postponed a week Mr Garretson said he would to discuss that later Mr Garretson said that in accepting acceptIng accepting accept accept- ing the presidents president's proposal the men had yielded 50 per cent of their de de- de mands Mr Gompers who followed Mr Garretson said that the federation supported tho the brotherhoods and protested protested protested pro pro- tested against compulsory arbitration He lIe attacked government operation o of roads for military purposes contending contending contend contend- ing it was was conscription and Indefensible indefensible sible in times o of peace Senator Newlands denied his contention contention contention con con- that the legislation denied the right o of a worker to quit his Job Mr Newlands Newland reiterated it meant only to affect the right to quit In concert Mr Dir Gompers said he believed he had contributed as much as anybody in America to avoiding strikes But gentlemen he said there are things worse than strikes We have got to live when that strike is over over and andIs andis andis Is history and then I ask you will we find upon the statute books a law that says that men are criminals It If they strike In concert Such a condition condition condition condi condi- tion is Intolerable I trust this legislation legislation leg leg- will not be enacted Senator Newlands asked Mr Gompers Gompers Gompers Gom Gom- pers to give the committee the solution solution solution tion of the of-the the problem On Monday said Senator Newlands the railroads of the country will be tied up I think the members o of this committee agree with me that compulsory compulsory compulsory com com- arbitration and compulsory service are both impossible and In in- in advisable The suggestion therefore Is made that the government make an Investigation and there be bo mediation and that pending an Inquiry into the facts the parties maintain the status quo Now i if this remedy is not right and Is wholly wrong what is the remedy remedy remedy rem rem- edy 1 Mr Gompers replied that under the circumstances the would be bo left free to strike whenever they saw fit and not forced to unfold their arms by law The Tho question of bringing bringing bring bring- ing about a peace now ho he insisted should devolve upon tho the railroad heads who should be expected to agree to some sort o of satisfactory settlement settle settle- ment It Is more essential ho he said that the liberties o of the should be safeguarded than that suffering which Is certain to follow a a. strike be bea a avoided voided W. W G. G Lee head af the trainmen went Into details of why the men re refused ro- ro fused to arbitrate the hour eight-hour day saying that in many parts of the South and Southwest tho the men had it and could not arbitrate whether we should live in a house which we have bought and paid for tor We Vo stand ready ho he said to arbitrate arbitrate arbi arbi- all other issues as soon as the presidents president's hour eight-hour day proposal is enacted into law It Is beyond us If it wo we ever hope to remain officers of these organizations If it we wo ever expect to retain the respect o of those men to stop this strike by any other method than to send Rend our general chairman code messages meaning Satisfactory settlement effected and that message message message mes mes- sage can be sent If it we get set the eight- eight hour day Replying to Senator Pomerene Lee said i if it were possible to reach all the brotherhood men and explain the present present present pres- pres ent legislation he thought they would vote to delay the strike But that he added was Impossible now and he laid the blame to the railroads Lovett was heard first to present the side o of the railroads Lovett said if it th the tho public were not In Involved Involved involved In- In in the present controversy and if it there were not thousands o of railway not allied with the trainmen the parties involved should be allowed to settle the matter themselves The railroads h he e said are no longer owned by the bankers but have stock widely distributed The railroad officials he said regard the problem as one to be settled by arbitration be because ause he added Just as ascertain ascertain ascertain certain as the sun sets the public will pay the bill Railroads have no Income in income income In- In come except what they can earn That depends on the rates they can get My l understanding o of this matter is that what the men want is an Increase of wages If It congress proposed to enact a law to make them work only eight hours they would be up in arms If U this burden of a year Is put on the public because of this legislation now proposed the responsibility responsibility will be on congress not on the railroads We have done our outmost to settle this dispute except to surrender what we think a vital principle The Issue here is ig whether the people In this country are to tobe tobe tobe be put at the feet o of workmen If It the judgment o of the country Is that there Is nothing for us to do rIo but sub sub- mit We will abide by it The Is no longer mine The railroads railroads railroads rail rail- roads will struggle on and meet the additional expense In the best way we can knowing ultimately it will be passed on to the public If you put this burden upon us we must abide by It but I r think it would be the greatest Injustice that ever happened in the history of this country to force it upon us with the hands of our men on on our throats |