The Lovington leader., 1916-12-08

y ostse et'sNses~ 49, 4
liberation Of them. The fourth rec
I do not deem Il neces-
sary TO renew. The power Of the In
Ierstnte commerce commission TO grant
m increase Of rates on the ground re-
ferred TO Is indisputahiy clear aud q
by the congress with
regard to such q matter might ssem 10
draw In question the scope Of the eom-
missions authority or Its iucliasttoa u
do justice when there Ii No reaeso To
doubt either.
The other suggestions Increase
In the Interstate commerce commits
sion's membership and u It's facilities
for performing Its manifold duties, the
provision for full public investigation
and assessment Of industrial Disputes. |
and the grant to the executive Of the
power to cootfol and operate the rail-
ways when necessary 10 time Of war
or other like public necessity--I 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 II
hard. I 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 II practi.
cally impossible, with its present mem
bershlp and organization, to perform
Its great functions promptly and thor.
oughly. but II Is not unlikely that It
may presently be found advisable to
add to It's duties still others equally
heavy and exacting. II must first be
perfected a. 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-
tlon and concllIation 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.
centratlon Of the military forces Of the
nation wherever they are needed and
,,,kaparas skav unn,tal
This is Il program of regulation, pre-
ventlon and administrative efficiency
which argues Its own case In the mere
statement Of II. With regard to one
Of Its items. the Increase In the effl.
cheney II the Interstate commerce com
mission, the house Of representatives
has aigsady acted; Its action needs
only the concurrence Of the senate.
r~- ".-.'-' --t cr--s:..:..
would hesitate to recommend. ant
! dare say the congress would hesitat,
to act upon the suggestion should
make 1t. that any man in any occupa
tion should be obliged by law to con
tinue In an employment which he de
sired Ia leave. To pass law whicl
forbade or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
cciving the approval Of society In do
ing so would be to adopt new prin
ciple into our Jurisprudence which
take II for granted we are not prepare,
to Introduce. But the proposal tina
the operation Of the railways of tn
country shall not be- stopped or inter
rupted by the concerted action of OF
ganized bodies Of men until Il publ
investigation shall have been Institute
which shall make the whole questio
ut issue plun for the Judgment of III
opinion of the nation Is not to prOpos
any such principle. 1t is based upo
the very different principle that the COZ
certed action of powerful bodies Of me
shall not be permitted to stop the II
dustrlal processes Of the nation, ut an
rate before the nation shall have ha
an opportunity to acQualnt Itself wit
the merits of the case us between en-
plOyee and employer time to form II
opinion upon an impartial statemer
OF the merits, and opportunity to COZ
slider all practicable means of concilI,
tiOn or arbitration.
l can see nothing In that prOpositio
but the justitablc safeguarding by s.
ciety Of the necessary processes
Its very life. There is nothing arb
trary or unjust In 1t unless II be arl
trarily and unJustly done. 1t can M
should be done with full and scrup
lOus regard for the interests and libe
ties Of all concerned as well as for Il
permanent interests of society itself.
Other Legislation Urged.
Three matters of a. pital imuortan
await the action of the senate whi,
have already been acted upon by Il
house Of representatives: the b
which seeks to extend greater frecdo
OF combination TO those engaged In pr
noting the foreign commerce of d
country than Is now thought by son
to be legal under the terms of the Ia,
against monopoly; the bill amendil
the present organic law of Porto Ric
and the bill proposing II more tho
Ough and systematic regulation of 4
e expenditure of money in elections. col
monty called the Corrupt Practices A
= ! need not labor my advice that the
= measures be enacted into law. TIL,
/. urgency lies In the manifest circu
K stances which render their adoption
!. this time not only opportune but nee,
l. sary. Even delay would seriou.
e leopard the interests Of the count
e and Of the government.
!: Immediate passage Of the bill to r,
n ulate the expenditure of money I'm al,