The Nevada County picayune., 1916-12-07
PRESCOTT NEVADA COUNTY ARKANSAS THURSDAY DECEMBER l916
aisston to obscr,o and report upon the

Hhaetlta If@H#AtS, teetiiiiS llltSt lilP measures most immediately needed; Gut il postponed aciiea upon the other
 ggeet.aus uHtil au opportunity should be offered fer T more deliberate eer- sideration ef hem The fourth ree- apeendutiea dc not deem it heees= ~a1s tp rcHae. Thp power of the in. tetState commerce commission To grant an increase of rates on the ground re- ferred to is indiSputably clear and q recommendation hy the congress with regard to such matter might seem to draw in question the scope If the com misSfon's authority or It's inclination to do justice when there Is no reason to doubt either.
 The other suggestions increase in the interstate commerce commiS- sion's membership and in its facilities for performing it's manifold duties, the provision for full public investigation and assessment of industrial disputes, and the grant to the executive of the power to control and operate the rail ways when necessary in time of war or other like public necessity-l now very earnestly renew.
 The necessity for such legislation Is manifest and pressing. Those who have intruSted Us with the responsibility and duty of serving and safeguarding them in such matters would find IL hard. I believe, to excuse Il failure to act upon these grave matters or any unnecessary poStponement of action upon them.
 Not only does the interstate com merce commission now find it practi- cally impossible, with its present mem bership and organization. to perform it's great functions promptly and thor oughly, but it is not unlikely that 1t may presently be found advisable to add 10 its duties still others equally heavy and eXacting. IL must first be perfected aS all administrative instru- ment.
 The country cannot and should not consent to remain any longer exposed to profound industrial disturbances for lack of additional means of arhitra- ton and eoneiliation which the eon- 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- rlIDted 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 a program of regulation, pre- vention and administrative efficiency which argues it's own case in the mere statement of it. With regard to one of it's items. the increase in the eff cieney of the interstate commerce com mission. the house of representatives has already acted; its action needs only the concurrence of the senate.
 For Control and Operation.
 would hesitate to recommend and I dare say the congress would hesitate to act upon the suggestion should l 1 make if, that my man in any occupa- ton should he obliged hy law to con tlnue in an employment which he de sired to leave. TO pass N law which forbade or prevented the individual workman to leave his work before re- ceiyng the approval of society in do- ing SD would he to adopt new prin- ciple into our jurisprudence which l i take 1t for granted we are not prepared 10 introduce. But the proposal thai the operation of the railways Of the country shall not be stopped or inter rupted by the concerted action of or sanizod bodies of men until a public investigation shall have been instituted i which shall make the whole question II issue plain for the judgment of the opinion of the nation is not to propose any such principle. Ii is based npon the very different principle that the con eerted action of powerful bodies of men shall not be permitted to stop the in- dHStrial processes of the nation, at any rate before the nation shall have had an opportunity to acquaint itself with lhe merits of the case as between em- pioyee and employer, time 10 form its opinion upon an impartial statement of the merits. and opportunity to con Sider all practicable means of concilia- ton or arbitration.
 can see nothing in that proposition but the iustitiable safeguarding hy SO ciety of the necessary processes of it's very life. There is nothing arbi- trary or unjust in it unless it be arbi- trarily and unjustly done. It can and should he done with full and Scrupu- lous regard for the interests and liber- 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 in pro. noting the foreign commerce Of IT,. country than k now thought by sol4a to be le@al under the terms of the lar $ against monopoly; the bill amendij ! the present organic law of Porto Rico