CANADIAN CONCILIATION ACT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 328, 15 October 1908, Page 6

CANADIAN CONCILIATION ACT.

STRIKE OF RAILWAY EMPLOYEES, (bi lELEanirn. —srEcut coehespondsnt.) Christchuroh, October 14.

The Vancouver correspondent of "Tho Press" reports what appears at first glance to be a demonstration of inefficiency iu the Canadian Conciliation Act, 1 •in connection with tho striking of eight thousand machinists and other skilled employees of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, not for increased wages, but for the maintenance of schedules that have long been in force. The reduction of these was ordered only a few days after the annual meeting of tlio company's directorate, at which dividends were declared indicative of prosperous ,conditions, Tho fact seems to be that tho giant' 'corporation of Canada has seized the-occasiou for a. long-threatensd fight to a finish' with the unions, industrial conditions at 'present greatly favouring tho company in that money is tight, manufacturing at a stand still,"and the market for skilled labour for the tim'fc' being overstocked. Besides similarly unfortunate conditions prevail to an oven greater extent "across tlio line." and tho year of a Presidential election being always a year of industrial depression, thousands of skilled hands aro coming into Canada from tlio south, and will bo at tho command' of tlio company to fill the places of the strikers. What has made the inauguration of tho strike at this particular period a serious tiling for Canada is that it n.-is been declared on the evo of tho great transportation rush of tho year, when every available car and locomotive aro required in the movement of tho hundred million bushels constituting tho season's crop of tho prairie wheat fields. A struggle which ties up the Canadian Pacific system at such a juncture cannot but ba regarded as a direct blow at the prosperity of tho country and a serious national danger. Tho men chose the time of greatest need for tho railways services by the country for tho strike, thinking to gain an important strategic advantage. Thev would have been much more certain of public sympathy and public support had they carried over their grievances until tho national necessity had been inet; also they have weakcued their cause in many c|iinrters bv their refusal to accept the majority report, filed after investigation of the irsucs upon n re-' feronco under the Conciliitti<m Act, which report the company promptly accepted. although it was far from nHogWlier favon-eblq to their contentions. The first imt>o-i.>nt test of the Conciliation Art is therefore before the Canadian public for decision. If the country supports the action of the company confidencc in tho principle and machinery of tho Conciliation Act will bo immensely strengthened. If the national sentiment and the national verdict are with the men, tho usefulness of the Act will bo correspondingly weakened.