THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1915, 25 November 1913, Page 9

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Sir, —Kindly permit rno space inyour paper in order to place before your many readers, mot only mj? oWU opinion, but- the opinion of a number of other men, as to what is tho principal o.bjcc- • tion of tho workers towards the Arbi- 1 tration Act. I may toll yovi that with tho exception of a small number of what ina,y bo termed "lied Feds," the ordinary worker has no objection to tho Act, but many of their iead'ers, wlw have to appear at this Court on belialf of the workers' unions, have ~a very •great objection to tho present President of the Oourt. No one- doubts 1 but that Judge- Sim is an able lawyer and in the fiist rank of barristers in this Do minion. But unfortunately he does not understand working men or their aspirations. We are -not all ' 'lied Feds"; many of us have as big a hatred of this class as any employer, but w-e do feel that when wo niako an appeal to tho Oourt _of Arbitration that wa' will get- a hearing. Hut no; our leaders* aro snubbed and sat upon at every opportunity, and it must be disheartening for anyone to appear before the Court tlio way things have gone. Some people tell us that the Judge is in bad health: others that we have got him "soured against -us. Whatever is ■ the ca-uso I do not know beyond this—-that if our appeals to the Court were received, as tl-Kjy wero in tho. old daj'S, when wo got consideration even though our claims wore not always granted, we would bo a, happier family to-dav. Ono thing I am certain of, tiiat is that tho Judge of to-day does not exhibit either the patience or the tact that distinguished his predecessors in office, and unless ho has these qualifications ho catlnot succeed in pleasing tho workers, or for that? matter anyone else. Give us a man who does understand Us —one who can .listen to our complaint? with patience and who can tell us with tafit that he cannot entertain our claims, and w«< will bo satisfied. This does not require a Judge of the Supreme Court-, nor eves a lawyer. Just an ordinary camnton-ticnso man of the' world will suit us ri\;ht well. Surely such a person can bo g<i>t, and the sooner lie is unearthed the sooner we will bo able to bury our troubles and smile once more. I a,m, etc., J.E.J.