The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1916-12-08

The oghsr suggestions the tAcrease
In the Interstate epmHlcFae eOsnmls.
ssons membership aud Ia IT, tRrlilslsS
Scr peFfcrSniEE SIS manifold duties the
tposidoa Tor full public Investigation
and aSseSaHaesas Of lndnatsial disputes,
and the grant to The executive o. the
power to ,s0ntral and operate the rail-.
wars when necessary In time az war
or ether like public neceSslty--l now
very earnestly renew.
The necessity f0t such legislation ~
manifest and pressing. Taoss WAC have
iAtrusos;i III with the responsibility
and duty Of serving aud safeguarding
them tn such matters would Nnd II
hard. believe, 10 excuse = failure 70
act upon these grave matters or any
unnecessary posiponement OF actioa
upon them.
Not only does the Interstate COM
meree commission now finA II pfacti-
caliy impossible, with lts present mem.
bership and organization. 70 perform
It's great functions promptly and thor.
ougkly. but 1t Is not unlfkely that I,
may presently be found advisable TO
add 10 It's duties stiIl others equally
heavy and exacting, II must first be
perfected ms an administrative instTu'
ment.
sJstA .n..rt~.- s.sun.s aK.l sl,asKia ,...t
consent to rcmRin any longer exposed
10 profound Industrial disturbances for
lack Of additional means of arhltra-
| ton and Cancellation which the ron-
gress can easily and promptly supply.
And all win agree that there must be
no doubt as TO the power Of the execu-
tive TO make immediate and unIntcr-
rupted use Of the railroads for the con
centratIon Of the military forces at the
nation wherever they are needed and
whenever they are needed.
This is program Of regulation. pre-
yen,ion and administrative efficiency
which argues Its own case Ia the mere
statement OF H. With regard TO one
OF It's items. the increase In the Ell.
cheney OF the Interstate commerce com.
miSaan. 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
dare sly the congress would hesitate
10 act upon the suggestion should |
make II, that any man In any .occUpa.
ton should be Obliged by law 10 con.
tinue in an employment which he de-
sired 20 leave. To pass law which
forbade or prevented the individual
workman TO leave his work before re-
celving the approval Of society In do
Ing 10 would be to adopt new prin-
ciple into our Jurisprudence which !
take II for granted we are not prepared
TO introduce. hut the proposal that
the operation Of the railways Of the
country shall not be stopped or inter
rupted by the concerted action OF or
ganized bodies OF men until a public
investigation shall have been Instituted
which shall make the whole question
at issue plain for the Judgment Of the
opinion OF the nation IL not 10 pfupose
any such principle. II IN 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. al any
rate before the nation shall have had
an opportunity 10 acquaint itself with
the merits NJ the case MS between EN-.
pioyee and employer. time 10 form It's
opinion upon an impartial statement
Of the merits, and opportunity 10 con
slider all practicable means Of concIlIn.
ton or arbitration.
can see nothing In that proposition
but the UNSUITABLE safeguarding By 80.
cieiy Of the necessary processes Of
lts very life. There IL nothing arbi.
trary or unjust In II unless Il be arbi.
trarily and unjustly done. 1t can and
should he done with full and scrupu.
lous regard for the interests and liber.
ties Of all concerned az well az for the
permanent interests OF society itself.
Other Legislation Urged.
Three matters Of capital Importance
| await the aciiun IT tsss senate Witch
have already been acted upon by the
house Of representatives: the bin
which seeks TO extend greater freedom
of combination to those engaged In pro-
melting 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.
need not labor my advice that these
measures be enacted into law. Their
urgency lies In the manifest circum.
stances which render their adoption at
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 bin 10 reg
uiate the expenditure Of money In eicc-
tons may seem to be less necessary
than the immediate enactment Of the
oiher fnea sIIraa To which rffnr hn.