The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-12-06

SlderatlOn OF IneIn. Inc IOullH ISC-
ommendation l do not deem it neces-
sary to renew. The power Of the In
terstate commerce commission to grant
an increase of rates on the ground re-
ferred to is indisputably clear and
recommendation by the congress with
regard to such matter might seem TO
draw in question the scope of the COM
missions authority or its inclination TO
do Justice when there is no reason to
doubt either.
The other suggestiOns-the increase
in the interstate commerce commits
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 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 1t
| hard, ] believe, to excuse 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 practl-
cally impossible, with its present mem
| bership and organization, to perform
| its great functions promptly and thor
| oughly, but it is not unlikely that 1t
| NAV presently be found advisable to
| add to it's duties still others equally
| heavy and exacting. 1t must first be
| perfected as an 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 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-
| 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 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
| cheney 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.
l 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 a 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 new prin-
| ciple into our Jurisprudence which |
take it for granted we are not prepared
| to introduce. But 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 is not to propose
| any such principle. 1t 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 acquaint 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.
l can see nothing in that proposition
but the juStifable safeguarding by So
eiety of the necessary processes OF
its very life. There is nothing arbi
trary or unjust in it unless it be arbi
trarily and unjustly done 1t can anG
should be done with a full and scrupu
lous regard for the interests and liber
ties Of all concerned as we'll 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 the
country than is now thought by some
TO be legal under the terms of the laws
against monopoly; the bill amending
the present organic law of Porto Rico
and the bill proposing a 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 Thei1
urgency lies in the manifest circum
stances which render their adoption a
this time not only Opportune but neces
sary. Even delay would seriousl,
leopard the interests of the countr,
and of the government.
| Immediate passage of the bill to reg
Most Fishermen Have Done 1t.