Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1916-12-14

q ~tice when there Is no reason to
an either.
other suggeStions--the increase
interstate commerce commits
membership and in its facilities
&forming its manifold duties, the
w BON for full public Investigation
W sessment Of Industrial disputes
fe grant to the executive Of the
, Nr To control and operate The rail
EWhen necessary In time of war
Nxher like public necessity now
SS<& earnestly renew.
-The necessity for such legislation Is
61nlfest and pressing. Those who huve
n htruSted lis with the responsibility
Mod duty of serving md safeguarding
Ipem in such matters would dud II
lizard, believe to excuse n failure 10
sact upon these grave matters or any
unnecessary postponement of action
upon them.
Not only does the interstate CONF
merce commission now ind Il pracu-
cally impossible, with It's present men,
bership and organization, to perform
its great functions promptly and thor
oughly, but il is not unlikely that II
may presently be found advisable to
I add TO its duties still others equally
heavy and eXacting. 1t must first be
=, perfected as an administrative instru-
ment.
I The country cannot and should not
consent TO remain any longer exposed
to profound industrial disturbances for
! lack of additional means of arbitra-
ton and Cancellation which the CON
gress can easily and promptly supply.
And all will agree that there must be
no doubt as to the power of the execu-
tive to make immediate and uninter-
rnpted use Of the railroads for the con-
centration of the military forces OF the
nation wherever they are needed and
whenever they are needed.
This Is program Of regulation. pre-
vention and administrative efficiency
which argues its own case in the mere
statement OF 1t. With regard to one
OF Its items, the Increase in the eff
cheney OF the Interstate commerce com.
mission, the house Of representatives /
has already acted: it's action needs
| only the concurrence of the senate.
For Control and Operation.
l would hesitate TO recommend. and
l dare say the congress would hesitate
TO act upon the suggestion should
make It, that any man in any occupa-
ton should be obliged by law to con
tinue in an employment which he de-
sired to leave. To pass law which
forbade or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
cclving the approval Of society In do.
ing 30 would be to adopt a new prin.
ciple into our Jurisprudence which
take II for granted We are not prepared
to Introduce. But the proposal that
the operation Of the railways Of the
country shall not he stopped or inter
rupted by the concerted action Of or.
ganized bodies OF men until q public
Investigation shall have been Instituted
which shall make the whole question
at Issue plain for the judgment OF the
opinion Of the nation II not to propose
any such principle. II Is based upon
the very different principle that the con.
certed action Of powerful bodies Of men
shall not be permitted to stop the In.
dustrial processes Of the nation, at any
rate before the nation shall have had
an opportunity to acqualnt itself with
the merits Of the case as between EN-.
ployee and employer, time to form its
opinion upon an impartial statement
of the merits, and opportunity to con.
slider all practicable means Of concilia.
ton or arbitration.
can see nothing In that proposition
but the justifable safeguarding by so.
ciety OF the necessary processes OF
Its very life. There is nothing arbI.
trnry or unjust In It unless II be arbI.
rarily and unjustly done. II can and
should he done with full and scrupu.
lous regard for the interests and liner.
ties OF all concerned as well as for the
permanent interests Of society itself.
Other Legislation Urged.
Three matters Of capital importance
await the action Of the senate which
have already been acted upon BY the
house Of representatives: the bill
which seeks to extend greater freedom
OF combination to those engaged 10 pro-
noting the foreign commerce of the
country than is now thought by some
to be legal under the terms OF the laws
against monopoly; the bin amending
the present organic law Of Porto Rico;
and the bill proposing more thor.
ough and systematic regulation OF the
expenditure Of money In elections. com.
monty called the Corrupt Practices Act
l need not labor my advice that these
measures be enacted into law. Their
urgency lies In the manifest clrcun.
stances which render their adoption nj
this time not only opportune but neces-
sary. Even delay would seriously
leopard the interests OF the country
and OF the government
Immediate passage OF the bill TO reg.
ulate the expenditure Of money In cleo.
tons may seem TO be less necessary
than the Immediate enactment Of the
other measures to which ! refer; be.
cause at least two years will elapse
before another election In which fed.