The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-24
Report that Does Not Disappoint.

The separate reports contributed by the d.
vided membership of the United States Commits
sion on Industrial Relations, which was appointed
for the purpose of discovering the causes of in
dustrial unrest and recommending remedies. con-
tain all that was to be expected of an investi-
eating body thus organized and adopting the
methods of inquiry that pursued. The re-
ports will, of course be printed and distributed
and the volumes will be utilized in the various
ways known in the rural communities whose Con-
gressmen arc generous with their donations of
public documents. Practical results not ex-
pected so no one will be disappointed. That
any of the recommendations will be put into
the form of legislation is highly improbable. The
next logical step would be the appointment of
another commission, even more learned and more
dignihed, to grant hearings to the ten members
of the Industrial Relations Commission for the
purpose of determining whose views right and
whose wrong
If there is cause for regret connected with
the report it is in its failure show results of the
months OF travelling that were undertaken for the
purpose of quizzing and cross-examining Pullman
porters shop girls and others. The general pub
lie would like to hear of what the commission
discovered about the size of the porers tips, and
to be led by easy stages from that point up to
the disposition of inheritances of $1,000 ooo
The principal report-that in which Chair
Walsh concurs-mght have been written
without the undertaking of tedious journeys and
tiresome hearings. Tons of such literature, es-
says on the inequalities of life, comparing the
lot Of the telephone girl with that Of the hcircss,
and the words of John D. Rockefeller with those
OF King Louis OF France, have already been
turned out by visionary authors who have ac-
complishcd nothing toward evening things
up than Chairman Walsh and his associates will.
This report does recommend that shall be
permitted to inherit more than 100000, all
amounts in excess to revert to the State. But
10 one not even Mr.. Walsh, who could have ap-
propriatcd and exploited that idea just readily
in an easy chair as on the throne of great COM
mission or in Pullman car, knows just how
such law would work out, though there will be
no serious apprehension that such revolutionary
experiment will be undertaken in this generation.
There is further recommendation that Con-
gross enact statute or initiate a Constitutional
amendment specifically prohibiting the courts
from declaring legislative unconstitutional
While this is radical enough, there a time
when Theodore Roosevelt stood for something
similar though it is doubtful whether he would
go quite far If the adoption of legislative
measure by Congress is to be its guarantee of
con stitutionality, let trust that way will
be found to keep the material for a supreme court
in the majority in the Senate. Imagine
jority of Washes, elected by the direct vote of
the people, in the highest legislative body, with
no appeal from their laws!
But this is going far to borrow trouble. The
United States Commission Industrial Rea-
tons will be forgotten incident.