New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-06

tate 10 act upon the suggestion
should / make b.. that any man iH
any occupation should be Obliged ny
law 10 continue IN an employment
which he desired 20 leave. To pass
law which forbade or prevented the
individual workman 90 leave his WORK
before receiving the approval OF So
ciotv in doing $50 would be 20 adopS
a new principle into our Jurispru-
dcrce which I take % for granted We
are not prepared 90 introduce.
But the proposal that the operation
Of the railways Of the country shall
not be stopped or interrupted by tno
concerted action of organized bodIe5
of men until a public invest igationi
shall have been instituted when snail
make the whole question al issue
pla.n for the judgment OF the OPINION
of the nation Is not TO propose any
such principle. 10 is based upon the
very different principle that the con.
certcd action of powerful bodies OF
men shall not be permitted TO stop
the industrial processes OF the ma
ton. 40 any rate before the nation
shall have had an opportunity to ac-
quaint itself with the merits Of the
case as between cmploye and en-
ploycr. time 90 form its opinion upon
an impartial statement Of the merits,
and opportunity 20 consider all prac-
ticable means of Cancellation or arbi-
tration.
can see nothing in that PROPOSE
ton but the justidable safeguarding
by society Of the necessary processes
of its very life. There is nothing ar
bitrary or unjust in it unless 1t be
arbitrarily and uujustly done. II can
aud should be- done with full and
scrupulous regard for the interests
and liberties of an concerned, AZ well
as for the permanent interests OF
society itself.
Measures Before Senate
Three matters Of capital impor-
lance await the action Of the Senate
which have already been acted upon
by the House Of Representatives,;
The bill which seeks 20 extend great
or freedom of combination TO those
engaged IN promoting the foreign
commerce of the country than is now
thought by some 90 be legal under
the terms of the laws against monop-
DIV; the bin amending the present
organic law of Porto Rico, and the
bin proposing a more thorough and
systematic regulation Of the eX-
pcnditure of money in elections,
commonly called the corrupt prac-
tees act.
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 OPP
perfume but necessary. Even delay
would seriously leopard the inter-
osts of the country and of the gov
eminent.
Immediate passage of the bill TO
regulate the expenditure OF money
in elections may seem 10 be less
necessary than the immediate enact
ment of the other measures TO which
I refer, because at least two years
will elapse before another election
i'm which Federal Offices are to be
filled: but it would greatly relieve the
public mind if this important matter
were dealt with while the clrcum-
stances and the dangers to the public
morals of the present method OF OBJ
tanning and spending campaign funds
stand clear under recent observation
and the methods Of expenditure can
be frankly studied in the light Of
present experience; and delay
would have the further very serious
disadvantage Of postponing action
until another election 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 without suspicion Of partisan
purpose.
Must Aid Export Trade
/ shall not argue at length the de.
STABILITY of giving freer hand in
the matter of combined and con-
certed effort TO those who shall un-
dertake the essential enterprise of
building up our export trade That
enterprise will presently. will ime-
mediately assume, has indeed already
assumed, a magnitude unprecedented
in our experience.
We have not the necessary instru-
mentalties for its prosecution; it is
deemed TO be doubtful whether theys
could be created upon an adequate
scale under our present laws. We
should clear away all legal obsta-
cles and create a basis Of undoubted
law for 10 which will give freedom