Evening Post.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 149, 20 December 1907, Page 6

Evening Post.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1907. THE CHOICE OF THE RAILWAY MEN. . «, Wo have frequently contended, and we still believe, that to remove the railway servants of the Dominion from political control would be a, great gain I to the men themselves, to the efficiency of the- servico, and to the purity and dignity of the general administration. The railway servants would in, our opinion, be freer, and Ministers of the Grown and members of Parliament would be freer, if all the petty details of pay and treatment which at present form the subject of incessant political negotiation could bo delegated to an independent judicial tribunal for settlement The best remedy for the disconI tent in the service of which so much has j been heard during the last few months seemed to us to lie this way, arid wo hoped that the men would be glad to apply that remedy if the chance wero given them. But the hope is knocked on tho head by the decisive vote which was reported on Wednesday last. Pursuant to the, Premier's I promise, the question whether the operatives employed in the railway worshops desired to come- under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act has been submitted to a ballot, and the proposal has ,been rejected by an overwhelming majority, the figures being : For, 225 ; against, 2154. No less than 891 men refrained from voting, but even if these wore added to the minority, the result would still be a majority of nearly two to one against the proposal for emancipation from political control. In explanation of a result which has surprised some of those who purported to speak with authority on behalf of the men, it has bcon urged that the issue was not fairly submitted. But how little foundation there is for this complaint will appear from a perusal of the official circular on tho subject which we publish in another column. The circuilar states with perfect fairnes3 that tho issuo lies between the privileges which the men at present enjoy and those which the Arbitration Court, for better or worse, might award them. The only possible ground for cavil that wo pan discover is that tho advantages of the present position are clearly brotight out, while no euch emphasis is laid on th<* other alternative. "For tho guidance of those concerned," s^iys thel Geneial Manager, "I desire to expla-m that in tho event of the operatives electing to remain subject to the Government Railways Department Classification Aot, and regulations mado therounder, they will retain the privileges granted thereunder, viz., leave of absence, passes, privilege tickets, and other concessions." If the choice is in favour of coming under tho Industrial j Conciliation and Arbitration Act, then ho points out that all these rights Avill be lost, and rates of pay and privileges determined by the Arbitration Court "in exactly the eamo manner as if they wero under private employers." An accurately judicial summiug-up would certainly ha-vo drawn equal attention to the ad Ivantages to be expected from the change, and havo negatived the- inference that all loavo of absence, passes, etc., must cease if tho Arbitration Court wero given control. They must, of' course, cease on their present footing, but they might be renewed 'in an improved form aa terms of the award. Undoubtedly the impression conveyed by the circular is against the change, but if the men were in earnest in its favour, who can suppose that the circular would put them off? The men who desire the. change- must educate their fellows to tho same way of thinking, instead of putting the responsibility upon the circular.