Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-05
tonsress's Work Not Completed

! CONGRESSES Work Not Completed
| NJ OW that the railroad strike has been
averted through congressional action
| and the people of the United States spared
| the suffering and loss strike would have
| caused, It is for Congress TO render impos-
| sble repetition of the situation from which
| the country has just escaped
If the strike was to have been prevented, it
was necessary for Congress to do what it has
done Congress acted. not for the railroads
nor for the railroad employees but for the
whole people. Whatever the rights or the
wrongs Of the controversy whatever the
methods adopted by either Side. it was OBJ
vous tho strike itself would have been
imitless catastrophe. Whichever side won
the people would have paid The price
II is clear also that without the enactment
of the eight hour measure tho strike would
have resulted. 1t had been called before The
Senate and House. at the request of the Presi-
dent had begun to consider strike prevention
legislation. The brotherhood leaders an
nounccd that if the efght-hou law were
passed. the strike order would b, rescinded
/ and not otherwise. Their action in calling
the strike perfectly legal and no legisla-
ton of Congress could have made il Illegal
for the Constitution expressly and in terms
, declares that mo post facto law shall he
passed. 1t is possible. though by no means
certain. that law prohibiting a strike might
have been made to operate on the individual
members OF the brotherhoods procedure
which would have called for the arrest Of
some 400. 900 persons. scattered over the
whole country. Any attempt of that sort 10
make men work would have been equally
ridiculous and hopeless
However. although ii was necessary to
meet the mems demands in order to avert the
strike. it was none the less humiliating
That other nations have suffered similar
humiliatiOns in the paSt--as Britain did in
1918. when Parliament had to pass a law
permitting the railroads to increase their
rates In order to pay the higher wages the
striking employees requircd-does not de-
tract from own shame. AS the Presi-
dent has said. in insisting that prompt action
be taken to ward of the Immediate danger.
this menace to the nations whole system OF
transportation must never he permitted 10
recur.
In The future there must he compulsory in
vestigation by an impartial tribunal Of all
such controversies. 1t must never again be
possible for two-ffths of ! per cent Of the
population OF the country to threaten the
whole country's prospcrity-to endanger the
money. the property, the health and even the
lives of thousands of their fellow-citizens
Compulsory investigation, on the Canadian
plan. does restrict, to some extent. the in
dWiduais right to work or refuse TO work,
but that restriction is necessary TO the public
good. and the public good is paramount In
such case, as in time OF or pcstilcnce
individual rights must be sacrificed to the
demands OF public safety. With that dis
tinction clearly established and incorporated
III the law OF the land. men will understand
what they are dong when they enter railway
train service. II they are not willing to ac-
cepl its obligations with its benefits. they
can Keep OUT. Tho issues they raise With
their employers. il unad justcd by mutual
rnri,,