The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1916-09-23

most costly and far-reaching labor wa
in its history.
BY way of introduction, the Times edi
torial quoted from Hughes Nashvill,
speech as follows
Il would not surrender to anybody il
the country. y | stand for two
things: First, for the principle of fair
impartial, thorough, candid arbitration
and. second, for legislation on facts ac.
cording to the necessities of the case
And ! am opposed to being dictated to
either in the executive department or in
Congress, by any power on earth before
the facts are known, and in the absence
of the facts. We have a great country
and a great future, but it can be pre-
served only in one way-the way OF
honest, fair investigation and candid
treatment. Show me the way that is
bright and | will take it, but | won't take
any way that | do not know anything
about"
"Well, what way would Mr.. Hughes
have takcn?" the editorial asks. What
would he have done? Here was Mr..
Wilson's position: The brotherhoods re-
fused arbitration, the railroad presidents
would not accept the settlement Mr..
Wilson proposed, granting the eight
hour standard day with provision for an
impartial inquiry into its working. There
was no law on the statute books to en-
force arbitration The president knew,
knew with certainty and beyond uues-
ton, that he could not get such law
from Congress now in session. The sure
and 1a,,f b1o ,1t - l..
ance of the eight-hour standard day
measure was a strike the suspension of
railway service, freight and passenger,
all over the country, beginning on the
morning of September A.
Would Have Caused Strike.
"Mr. Hughes would not surrender to
anybody in the country Then he would
have surrendered the country to the dis
turbance, immeasurabe loss, and peril
of strike. Would he, in fact, have
done. that? In his position of greater
freedom and less responsibility as can
didate he says that he would yield to no
body Had he been president confronted
by that situation, failing in his appeal to
the brotherhoods on the one hand and to
the railroad presidents on the other, and
with Congress of which it was per-
fectly hopeless to ask for an enabling
arbitration act, would Mr.. Hughes have
brought on strike by refusing to sign
the bill granting wage increase? The
manner of its enactment was hateful to
all right-thinking Americans, it was in
truth a surrender by Congress, the Ma
tional LEGISLATURE acted under threat
and duress, it was humiliating, it was
shameful. But there was the strike in
plain sight, few hours away, sure to
come. Would Mr.. Hughes have vetoed
the bill? On the contrary, would he not
have done just what Mr.. Wilson did
sign it?
"The Republican candidate stands for
two things; First, for the principle of
! fair, impartial, thorough, candid arbitra-
ton; and, second, for legislation on
facts according to the necessities of the
case Mr. Wilson stands for those two
things and much more, has pledged him
self to use all his influence to secure
them. What more could Mr.. Hughes
do? Would it be too much to ask the
Republican candidate to put a little COM
mon fairness into his speeches? Is he
afraid to tell his audiences what the
president actually did urge upon Con-
gress' H.
Comprehensive Plan.
"I earnestly recommend the follow
ing legislation said the president in his
address to both houses of Congress on
August 20. He then specified, first, an
enlargement of the Interstate Commerce
Commission to enable it better to per-
form its many great, various, and new
duties; second, the establishment of the
eipht-hour day as the legal basis of
work and wage for railway employees
engaged in operating trains; third, the
appointment of commission to study
the actual working of the eght-hour
day IN railway transportation alike for
the men and for the railroads. its effect
in the matter of operating costs, and to
report to Congress, to the end that the
public might be informed as to the re-
suits; fourth, explicit approval by the
Congress OF the consideration by the
Interstate Commerce Commission of an
increase of freight rates. should an in
crease be rendered necessary by the
adoption of an eight-hour plan fifth
an amendment of the Newlands act pro.
viding for compulsory public investi.
CATION of the merits of labor disputes
strikes or lockouts attempted before
| the comDletion of the Investigation t(