The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-05
A Shocking Exhibition.

"A SnOCkmg EXHlDltlOus
The conduct of the work of the United
States Commission on Industrial Relations
which has como in for good deal Of popular
animadvcrsion of late, has turned into gross
public scandal. President Wilson's administra-
ton cannot be said to be entirely responsible
for if because the commission established by
an act of Congress- But the Democratic party
which is in control of Congress, but the President
who appointed the members OF the commission,
must assume a large share OF responsibility OF
what the commission does. We make doubt but
that the President would if it in his power.
nut an end to the existence of the commission
at once or at least ask for the resi- gnation OF
the present members of the commission and put
new men in their places. AS it stands and how
ever regarded the record OF the commission con-
stitutes one OF tho hardest things to explain
which must confront the Democratic party in
the active political discussion which will take
place next year.
/ 1t is perfectly plain that Mr. Walsh, the
| chairman of the commission, who is doing all
the talking for the board, and to whom his
| brother members OF the commission OBJ
vouslv playing second fiddle, is man more un-
| Mt for the task that he has been set to do than
any one who has been named in Washington
/ for an important office within the last twenty
nNe wears. MT. w ASH, dS HSdu vi tiC SoiihtS
sion, was supposed to undertake careful, deb
crate and above all judicial inquiry into the ma
, ,urc OF the great problems which the country
| ncW faces regarding the relations OF labor to
our general social organization. There is no
subject in the investigation OF which calm and
pbiIosophc mind is more needed; that is. a will
inrneSs and ability see both sides OF the qucs-
| ton and the consideration in a friendly spirit OF
| the claims OF both labor and capital. But Mr..
Walsh has shown himself in this matter an AFRO
giant and hot-tempcred partisan. The matter
with which his commission has chiefly concerned
itself has been an investigation OF the great
strike OF miners in the Colorado district and par
tcularlv the par, played in this by Mr.. John ID.
| Rockefeller jr., who with his father has large
| stockholding interest in the Colorado Fuel and
| Iron Company. Mr.. Walsh instead OF showing
some conception OF the responsibility OF his place,
has set out to carry on in the most sensational
wav possible campaign OF prosecution against
! the RockcfclerS. This has been visible enough
in the proceedings OF the commissions but latterly,
| while the >ittingS OF the commission have been
suspended Mr.. Walsh has occupied himself with
giving to the newspapers denuncia,ons OF Mr..
| Rockefeller accompanied with array OF UNI
proved charges and many absolute Measurements
of facts. One of his outgvings was an assertion
made at the field headquarters OF the commits
sion at Chicago, which declared that every step
| taken BY the Rockefeller agents in Colorado in
| the great strike. in which men, women. and chill
drcn lost their lives. done with the full knowl-
edge and assent OF 70 Broadway, New York"
This i quito unsupported by evidence, and 1t
Il is sufficient commentary upon the outrageous
character Of Mr. Walshs statement that 1t comes
from a public officer engaged in collecting evil
dcncc for the OF Congress. What he is &C
tuay engaged in is making heated ex parte state
mcntS to the newspaper reporters. 1t would be
bad enough if all this done by district at
torney or other person engaged in SPECIFIC prose
cuton; but it comes from the Judge, who Is 70
hear the case, and it assumes the form OF an at
tack upon the defendant made by the judge in
the newspapers We do sec what President
Wilson can do about this in an official way, in
asmuch as Mr.. Walsh derives his authority, "a
VIC have just stated, from act OF Congress
but it certainly is possible for the President &c
bring pressure upon Mr. Walsh to induce him &c
cease making any such fragrant display as he has
been making in recent weeks. Nothing in the
whole course of President Wilson's administra
ton has created such adverse feeling in the mind,
OF intelligent and decent people the Walsh
performance.