Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-05

terstate Commerce Commission to
grant an increase of rates on the
ground referred to is indisputably
clear and a recommendation by the
Congress. with regard to such a matter
might seem to draw in question the
scope of the commissions authority or
Its inclination to do justice when there
Is no reason to doubt either.
Increase Commerce Membership
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.
Necessity is Pressing
The necessity for such legislation is
manifest and pressing. Those who
| have entrusted us with the RESPONSE
bility and duty of serving and safe
guarding them in such matters would
| nnd 1t hard, l believe, to excuse a fail
! ure to act upon these grave matters or
| any unnecessary postponement of ac-
ton upon them.
|
merce Commission now find 1t prac-
tcally impossible. with its present
| membership and organization, to per-
form its great functions promptly and
! thoroughly, but 1t 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 arbitration
and conciliation which the Congress
can easily and promptly supply. 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 concen-
tration 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 its own case in the mere
statement of it. With regard to one
of its items, the increase in the eff
ticiency of the Interstate Commerce
commission. the House of Representa-
tlNes mas already acted; it's action
needs only the concurrence of the
Senate.
l would hesitate to recommend, and
l dare say the Congress would hesitate
10 act upon the suggestion should l
make II, that any man in any occu-
pauon should be obliged by law to
continue in an employment which he
desired to leave. To pass a law which
FORBADE or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
celVlng the approval of society in do
ing SO would be to adopt a new prin-
Aple INTO our Jurisprudence which l
~ II g.
70 introduce. But the proposal that
the operation of the railways of the
country snail not be stopped or inter-
rupted by the concerted action of or
sanlzed bodies of men until a public
lnVestigation shall have been instituted
which snail 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
concerted action of powerful bodies of
men snail not be permitted to stop the
industrial processes of the nation, at
any rate before the nation shall have
hau an opportunity to acquaint itself
with the merits of the case as between
employe and employer, time to form
lts opinion upon an impartial state
ment of the merits, and opportunity to
consider all practicable means of con-
citation or arbitration. 1 can see
nothing In that proposition but the
)ustlhable safeguarding by society of
the necessary processes of its very life
There is nothing arbitrary or unjust in
1t unless II be arbitrarily and I'M niustly
done. 1t can and should be done with
a full and scrupulous regard for the
interests and liberties of all concerned
as we'll as for the permanent interest s
of society itself.
Three matters of capital importance
await the action of the Senate which
have already been acted upon by the
House of Representatives: the bill
Whlch seeks to extend greater freedom
OF. combination to those engaged in
promoting the foreign commerce. of
the country than is now thought by
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 a
more thorough and systematic regu-
lation of the expenditure of money In
elections, commonly called the CORFU nt
practices act. 1 need not labor my
; advice that these measures be enacted
into law. Their urgency lies in the
manifest circumstances which render
their adoption at this time not only
opportune but necessary. Even DELAY
would seriously leopard the interests
OF the country and of the government
Wants Immediate Passage
Immediate passage of the bill to
regulate the expenditure of money in
elections may seem to be less necessary
than the immediate enactment of the
other measures to which I refer: be.
cause at least two years will elapse
before another election in which fed
eral offices are to be filled; but Il
would greatly relieve the public MIND
; II this important matter were dealt
, with while the circumstances and the
: dangers of the public morals of the
, present method of obtaining and
: spending campaign funds stand cleal
under recent observation and the
methods of expenditure can be frankl,
studied In the light of present experi.
ence; and a delay would have the fur.
ther very serious disadvantage of post
poning action until another election
was at hand and some special object
! connected with ii might be thought tc
be in the mind of those who urged 1t
Action can be taken now with facts fol
. guidance and without suspicion Of
: partisan purpose.
shall not argue at length the de-
STABILITY of giving a freer hand in the
matter of combined and concerted eff.
} fort to those who shall undertake the
essential enterprise of building up oul
export trade. That enterprise will
presently will Immediately assume
has indeed already assumed, O mag.
I nitude unprecedented in our expert
ence. We have not the necessary in.
EAG