Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-12-09

in the interstate commerce commits
sion's membership and in its facilities
for performing its manifold duties, the
provision for full public investigation
and assessment of industrial disputes,
and the grant to the executive or the
power to control and operate the rail-
ways when necessary in time or 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-
calIy impossible, with its present MEM
bership and organization, to perform
its great functions promptly and thor
oughly, but it is not unlikely that 1T
may presently be found advisable to
add to its 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 unfnter-
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 its own case in the mere
/ statement of it. With regard to one
of its items, the increase in the effi-
/ 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.
/ 1 would hesitate to recommend, and
| I dare say the congress would hesitate
| to act upon the suggestion should /
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 new prin-
cfples into our Jurisprudence which I
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
I 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 justifiable safeguarding by so
ciety of the necessary processes OF
it's very life. There is nothing arbi
trary or unjust in it unless it be arbi
trarily and unjustly done. 1t can ant
should be done with full and scrupu
lous regard for the interests and liber
ties of all concerned as well as for tn,
permanent interests of society itself
Other Legislation Urged
Three matters of capital importanc,
await the action of the senate which
have already been acted upon by tn
house of representatives: the bill
which seeks to extend greater freedom
of combination to those engaged in pro
noting the foreign commerce of tn
country than is now thought by som
) to be legal under the terms of the law
!, against monopoly; the bill amending
: | the present organic law of Porto Rico
, and the bill proposing more thor
ough and systematic regulation of tn
, expenditure of money in elections, com
monty called the Corrupt Practices Aci
| | / need not labor my advice that thes
measures be enacted into law. Thei
urgency lies in the manifest circun
q stances which render their adoption a
this time not only opportune but neces
q sary. Even delay would seriousl
! | leopard the interests of the couii1r
and of the government.
Immediate passage of the bill TO res
-