El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-09-05
Who Held Up Congress?

Congress made many wry face but passed the eight
hour law raise the wage income of in the opeat
ing department of railroads of the United States order
to avoid the threatened nation wide strike 1t was
peace at any price, together with campaign politics
The president has signed the bill and the strike Is at
least postponed The railroads income strictly limited
by federal and state laws; if rate increases be finally
allowed the public ultimately pays But since the action
of the president and congress averted for the time the
threatened general strike, the public accepts the new
situation and rather inclined to overlook the crcum
stances of the action IN enjoying its present and imme
date benefits. The number of individuals at any
time in the worlds history who look ahead of the
meal Is small.
Some senator's and some members also of the house
of representatives seriously objected to the Adamson
BILL declaring represented plain holdup" of congress
by the four railroad brotherhoods; that congress
threatened with the national calamity of strike
inflicted upon the United States unless the bill
passed and passed at They declared the BILL if
passed. would be i'll considered because had had
digest it. and i'll advised because under the
hurried glance which they permitted, it appeared
threaten still greater perpexies in the future than
being sought be avoided Nevertheless the
bill passed by both houses with votes to spare and
It was passed within the time limit set for them The
dominant party had legitimate claim to every particle
of the glory for the great settlement"
1t is too much to say that congress "held up
That plain Those who proposed the amazing limo
walton in national legislation headed by president
Wilson, chiefly advocated it a measure Of haste
designed meet urgent present crisis. Emphasis
placed the need of speed the bill might become
law De1Ore MONDAY morning, Wnen tne Strlke Would
otherwise become effective Nobody contended that any
great economic reform being instituted There
just argument for the enactment That the strike
must be averted at any cost.
But congressional members were wrong in stating
the brotherhoOds held up congress. President Wilson
the power that held up congress. His personal
strength legislative lobbyist is astounding
president Wilson who appeared before congress and
ordered in effect pass this legislation, and once
1t he who applied the spur to committees of both
houses have the eight hour bills speedily drafted
considered and reported to the senate and house The
railroad unions had announced that they would do thus
and unless their demands granted within
tain time, but they had asked nothing of congress.
The president who had very properly sought by every
legitimate settle the differences between the
railroads and their employees last openly champoned
the side of the brotherhoods From then on, the pres
dent fought the fight of the unonists His efforts
reached their climax when he appeared before congress
and in insisting upon the passage of legislation granting
the eight hour basic day for calculating wages delivered
singing indictment of the railroad interests throwing
upon them the responsibility for whatever suffering
strike might entail, and predicting they would be
forced to yield to the demands of the labor unions
The president not unbiased. He did not pretend