The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1916-12-08
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 it's 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 it |
hard, l belieNl to excuse failure to
act upon the, Ffo ave matters or any
unnecessary pc. Cement Of action
upon them.
Not only does tn. " >rstate COM
merce commission now it practi-
cally impossible, with it's p. men,
| berShip and organization, to eOrln
| its great functions promptly ant. "
oughly, but it is not unlikely tha> it
may presently be found advisable to
add to its duties still others equally
heavy and exacting. It 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 conciliation which the con-
gress can easily and promptly supply.
nd oil hot
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 a 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 its 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.
t l would hesitate to recommend, and
l 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-
2 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-
o ceiving the approval of society in do
e ing so would be to adopt a new prin-
). eiple 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 q public
:, investigation shall have been instituted
u which shall make the whole question
'e at issue plain for the Judgment of thu
. opinion of the nation is not to propose
!. any such principle. 1t is based upol
." the very different principle that the con
5 certed action of powerful bodies Of mel
= shall not be permitted to stop the in
III dustrial processes of the nation, at an
ol rate before the nation shall have ha
an opportunity to acquaint itself wit
IN the merits of the case as between en-
>e ployee and employer, time to form it
y opinion upon an impartial statemen
re of the merits, and opportunity to cor
r. slider all practicable means of cOncilif
a ton or arbitration.
l can see nothing in that propositio
p but the justifiable safeguarding by 8,
all ciety of the necessary processes
re- its very life. There is nothing arb
OF trary or unjust in it unless it be arb
IS trarly and unjustly done. It can an
,Or should be done with full and scrup1
lous regard for the interests and libe
On ties Of all concerned as we'll as for Il
in permanent interests of society itself.
an Other Legislation Urged.
lch Three matters of capital importan
all await the action Of the senate viii,
&C. have already been acted upon by tt
ht- house of representatives: the b
off which seeks to extend greater freedo
nts Of combination to those engaged in pr
lis noting the foreign commerce Of Il
country than is now thought by sol
ing to be legal under the terms of the la,
the against monopoly; the bill amendi
ion the present organic law Of Porto Ric
ent and the bill proposing more tn,
ase ough and systematic regulation of
low expenditure Of money in elections, co
blic monty called the Corrupt Practices A
cry I need not labor my advice that the
and measures be enacted into law. TIL
out urgency lies in the manifest circu
stances which render their adoption
the this time not only opportune but nee
ver, sary. Even delay would seriou
axe leopard the interests of the coun
roll and Of the government.
oun- Immediate passage Of the bill to r
tary ulate the expenditure of money in ell
tary tions may seem to be less necess,
into than the immediate enactment of
tied other measures to which I refer;
mis- cause at least two years will ella
nces before another election in which +
use. eral offices are to be filled but 1t wo
greatly relieve the public mind if
important matter were dealt "
while the circumstances and the
ight- .,s - 1870; ona srond
campaign funds stand clear under
cent observation and the methods
expenditure can be frankly studied
the light of present experience; an