The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1916-12-08

And all will agree that there must be
no doubt as to the power of the Exe-
cutive to make immediate and uninter-
rupted 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 programme of regulation.
prevention and administrative eff
cheney which argues its own case in
the mere statement of It,. With regard
to one Of its items. the increase in
the efficiency of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, the House Of Rep-
resentatives has already acted; its ac-
tion needs only the concurrence of the
Senate.
Industrial Process Must Not Stop.
'.I would hesitate to recommend, and
dare say the Congress would hesitate
to act upon the suggestion should l
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-
ceiving the approval Of society in do
ing so would be to adopt a new prin-
ciple into our jurisprudence which !
take 1t for granted we are not prepared
operation Of the railways of the coun-
try shall not be stopped or interrupted
by the concerted action of organized
bodies of men until public investiga-
tion shall have been instituted which
shall make the whole question at issue
plain for the judgment of the opinion
Of the Nation is not to propose any such
principle.
1T is based upon the very different
principle that the concerted action of
powerful bodies of men shall not be
permitted to stop the industrial proc
esses of the Nation, at any rate before
the Nation shall have had an oppor-
tunity to acquaint itself with the merits
Of the case as between employe and
employer. time to form its opinion
upon an impartial statement of the
merits. and opportunity to consider all
practicable means of conciliation or
arbitration. can see nothing in that
proposition but the justifiable safe
guarding by society of the necessary
processes of its very life. There is
nothing arbitrary or unjust in its un-
less 1t be arbitrarily and unjustly done.
1t can and should be done with full
and scrupulous regard for the interests
and liberties of all concerned as well
as for the permanent interests Of So
ciety itself.
Three Important Bills Await Senate.
"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
promoting the foreign commerce of the
country than is now thought by some
to be legal under the terms of the
laws against monopoly; the bill amend
ing the present organic law of Porto
Rico; and the bill proposing more
thorough and systematic regulation Of
the expenditure Of money In elections,
commonly called the corrupt practices
act. need not labor my advice that
these measures be enacted into law
Their urgency lies in the manifest cir
cumstances which render their adop-
tion at this time not only opportune
but necessary. Even delay would seri-
ously leopard the interests of the coun-
try and of the Government.
Immediate passage of the bill tc
regulate the expenditure of money in
elections may seem to be less necessary
than the immediate enactment Of the
other measures to which refer; because
at least two years will elapse before
another election In which Federal off,
ces are to be filled; but 1t would great
ly relieve the public mind II this i'm
portant matter were dealt with while
the circumstances and the dangers tc
the public morals of the present method
OF obtaining and spending campaign
funds stand clear under recent obser-
vation and the methods of expenditure
can be frankly studied in the light Of
present experience; and delay would
have the further very serious disad-
vantage of postponing action until an
other election was at hand and some
special object connected with 1t might
be thought to be in the mind of those
who urged it. Action can be taken now
! with facts for guidance and without
suspicion of partisan purpose
II shall not argue at length the de.
STABILITY of giving freer hand ir
the matter Of combined and concerted
| effort to those who shall undertake
the essential enterprise of building III
our export trade. That enterprise will
presently. will Immediately assume, hal
indeed already assumed. a magnitude
unprecedented in our experience. WI
have not the necessary instrumental
! ties for its prosecution; 1t Is deemed
to be doubtful whether they could b
created upon an adequate scale undel
our present laws. We should cleal
away all legal obstacles and create I
basis of undoubted law for 1t which
will give freedom without permitting
unregulated license. The thing mus
be done now, because the opportunit!
is here and may escape us If we hest
tate or delay.
Porto Rico Law Needs Amendment
1.-THE argument for the propose,
4 amendments Of the organic law o
Porto Rico is brief and conclusive. TIL
present laws governing the island am
| regulating the rights and privileges o
its people are not just. We have ere
ated expectations of extended priyi
lege which we have not satisfied. Ther
is uneasiness among the people of tn
island and even suspicious doubt wit
regard to our intentions concerning
them which the adoption Of the pend
/ ing measure would happily remove. w
do not doubt what we wish to. do in an
essential particular. We ought to d
1t at once.
There are other matters already ad
vanced to the stage OF conference be
tween the two houses OF which It !
not necessary that should speak. Som
practicable basis of agreement con
cerning them will no doubt be foun
and action taken upon them.
'1nasmuch as this is. gentlemen
probably the last occasion / shall hav
to address the cath Congress. hop
that you will permit me to say wit
what genuine pleasure and satisfaction
Il | have co-operated with you in tn
many measures Of constructive polio
with which you have enriched tn
legislative annals of the country.
| has been a privilege to labor in sue
company. l take the liberty Of cor
graduating you upon the completio
Of record Of rare seryiceableness an
distinction"