Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-12-14

llilu II HdIu, I DtIieNSs 70 EXCUSE q
failure to act upon these grave mat.
| tiers or any unnecessary postponement
of action upon them -. =. -
Not only does the Interstate Com
merce Commission now find il practi-
cally impossible, with its present men,
bership and organization, to perform
its great functions promptly and thor
oughly but il is not unlikely that il
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. =. ... -, 49,. =. .
More Arbitration Needed :: .... r..
The country cannot and should not
consent to remain any longer exposed
to profound industrial disturbances
for lack of additional means OF arbi-
tration and Cancellation which the
Congress can easily and promptly sup
ply And all will agree that there
must be no doubt as to the power Of
the Executive TO make immediate and
uninterrupted use of the railroads for
the concentration of the military fore
es of the nation wherever they are
This is a program of regulation, pre-
yention, 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 eff
cheney of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, the House of Represen-
tatives has already acted; its action
needs only the concurrence of the
Senate. -. L. e.. ..-.. '>.~<
| would hesitate to recommend, and
dare say the Congress would hest
tate to act upon the suggestion should
| make it, that any man in any occu-
patton should be obliged by law to
continue in an employment which he
desired to leave. To pass law which
forbade or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
ceiving the approval of society in
doing SO would be to adopt a new prin-
ciple into our jurisprudence which l
take it for granted we are not pre-
pared to introduce But the proposal
that the operation of the railways OF
the country shall not be stopped or
interrupted by the concerted action of
organized bodies of men until pub
lie investigation shall have been in
stituted which shall make the whole
question at issue plain for the judg
ment of the opinion of the nation is
not to propose any such principle.
1t is based upon the very different
principle that the concerted action of
powerful bodies of men shall not be
permitted to stop the industrial pro-
cesses of the nation, at any rate be-
fore the nation shall have had an OPP
portunity to acquafnt itself with the
merits of the case as between en-
ploye and employer, time to form its
opinion upon an impartial statement
of the merits, and opportunity to con:
slider all practical means of concilia-
ton or arbitration. / can see nothing
in that proposition but the justifiable
safeguarding by society of the neces-
sary processes Of it's very life. There
is nothing arbitrary or unjust in it I'M
less 1t be arbitrarily and unjhstly
done. 1t can and should be done with
a full and scrupulous regard for the
ed as well as for the permanent inter.
ests of society itself. -.
Important Matters ~. =
Three matters of capital Importance
await the action of the Senate which
have already been acted upon by the
House of Representatives: The bill
which seeks to extend greater freedom
of combination to those engaged in
promoting the foreign commerce of
no dry ie nv
some to be legal under the terms of
the laws against monopoly; the bill
amending the present organic law of
Porto Rico; and the bill proposing
more thorough and systematic regula-
ton of the expenditure of money in
elections, commonly called the Cor
rupt Practises Act need not labor
my advice that these measures be en-
acted into law. Their urgency lies in
the manifest circumstances which
render their adoption at this time not
only opportu1fe but necessary. Even
delay would seriously leopard the in
terests of the country and of the gov
eminent .- ~.... -. T.. .-."
Immediate passage of the bill to
regulate the expenditure of money in
elections may seem to be less neces-
sary than the immediate enactment of
the other measures to which 1 refer;
because at least two years will elapse
before another election i'm which fed
eral offices are to be filled; but it
would greatly relieve the public mind
if this important matter were dealt
with while the circumstances and the
dangers to the public morals of the
present method of obtaining and
spending campaign funds stand clear
under recent observation and the
methods of expenditure can be frank
ly studied in the light of present ex
perience; and delay would have the
further very serious disadvantage OF
postponing action until another seIec-
ton was at hand and some special
object connected with it might be
thought to be in the mind of those
who urged it. Action can be taken
now with facts for guidance and with
out suspicion of partisan purpose.
To Aid Trade ..s....
! shall not argue at length the de-
STABILITY of giving a freer hand in
the matter of combined and concerted