The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-22

would have proposed had he been
President? And so with other con-
structive work of Congress.
When Mr.. Hughes returns east there
will be demand among the better
class of republicans for a change in
his Cline of argument" Destructive
criticism belongs to cheap order of
politics. The people want something
positive. The democrats have been
wonderfully positive force since the
fourth of March, 1913, and their con-
structive record should spell victory
again.
president WILSON struck the
i keynote of the present con-
troversy between the railroad mana
gers and the brotherhoods of train
men when he said in replying to a
telegram from George Pope of Hart
ford, Conn,
Railroads Should president of
Concede Eight-hour Day the National
Manuf &C
turers' association, that the whole
economic movement of the time seems
to point" to an eight-hour day for
workingmen.
This would seem to be fair and
equable arrangement. In fact, as the
President has already pointed out, the
eight-hour day is almost universally
recognized and the tendency where it
is not in force is to establish it as
soon as conditions permit.
The railroad officials insist that
their differences should be arbitrated.
The President replies that he has tried
to arbitrate, but failed, and he is now
taking the only steps left to him for
avoiding a calamity which would
paralyze the business and industrial
life of the country and cause stagger-
ing financial losses.
1t is said that of all the crises which
Mr.. Wilson has had to face, the pres
ent one, involving the railroads and
their employees, is the gravest he has
yet encountered. This can hardly be
doubted. A railroad strike on scale
such as has been threatened would be
far worse from an economic point of
view than war with Germany.
In asking the railroad heads to con-
cede an eight-hour day, the President
has made it clear that he still believes
in arbitration, but is convinced that
in the present emergency a concession
is wise which is generally thought
just and will pave the way for a set
Element without further strife.
Whatever happens, there must be
no strike. 1t is encouraging to note
that both sides are showing a ten
dency to go slow. The situation is too
grave for hasty action. The President
is acting for the best interests, not
only of the railroads and of their en-
ployes, but of the nation as well. His
suggestion should be adopted.
Mr. Hughes wisely refrains from taking
hand in the quarrel between the pro-
gressves and republicans of California. If
he attempted it he would merely suffer
the fate of most would-be peace-makers.
Observers say the horse is holding his
own, in spite of the popularity of the au-
tomobile. 'Tis well. Horses are too ex-
pensive to keep as pets and the idea of
eating them is not appetizing
1t is reported that an English writer
has been sentenced to Is months hard
labor because he won't fight Still, he
might be willing to so to the front as
correspondent
When visitors from dry states drop
into New York it is surprising how many
drop into places where suave persons in
white coats stand behind mahogany
counters
The Teuts continue to point with pride
to their navy, although 1t seldom VEN
lures out to take the air.
The prohibition party is modest at any
rate. 1t doesn't expect to put man in
the, White House this year.
General Pershing's troops will soon be
withdrawn from Mexico, if the situation
along the border remains quiet, but with
| out the scalp of "Pancho" Villa.
| Asparagus on toast, steaks, roasts,
grapes, oranges cantaloups - who
wouldn't be citizen sailor" for a while?
But do they keep it all down?
The question is, Did Hiram Johnson
snub or did he not snub Candidate
Hughes in that Los Angeles hotel? May
be we'll never know.