The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-12-08

but II postponed action upon the other
suggestions until an opportunity should
be offered for more deliberate con-
slderaton Of them The fourth rec
ommendatlon | do not deem II neces-
snry to renew The power OF the In
terstate commerce commission 20 grant
an increase Of rates on the ground re-
ferred 20 Is lndlsputnhly clear and a
recommendation by the congress with
regard 70 such matter might seem TO
draw In question the scope of the com
missions authority or Its inclination to
do Justice when there Is no reason to
doubt either.
The other suggcsuons-the increase
I'm the Interstate commerce commits
slon's membership and In its facilities
for performing its manifold duties, the
provision for full public Investigation
and assessment of Industrial disputes,
and the grant TO the executive of the
power 10 control and operate the rail
ways when necessary In time of war
or other like public necessity now
very earnestly renew.
The necessity for such legislation Is
manifest and pressing. Those who have
intrusted us with the responsibility
and duty of serving and safeguarding
them In such matters would find II
hard, believe, TO excuse failure TO
act upon these grave matters or any
unnecessary postponement of action
upon them.
Not only does the Interstate com
merce commission now find 1t practi-
cally impossible, with its present mem
bership and organization, to perform
It's great functions promptly and thor
oughly. but It is not unlikely that II
may presently be found advisable to
add 10 its duties still others equally
heavy and eXacting. II must first be
perfected as an administrative instru-
ment.
The country cannot and should not
consent 10 remain any longer exposed
to profound Industrial disturbances for
lack of additional means Of arbitra-
tion and conciliation which the con
greSs can easily and promptly supply.
And all will agree that there must be
no doubt as to the power Of the execu-
tive to make immediate and uninter-
rupted use of the railroads for the con
cenuation Of the military forces of the
nation wherever they are needed and
whenever they are needed.
This is n program of regulation, pre-
vention and administrative efficiency
which argues its own case in the mere
Of it. With regard to one
Of its items, the increase in the efii-
cheney of the interstate commerce com
mission, the house of representatives
has already acted; its action needs
only the concurrence Of the senate.
For Control and Operation.
/ would hesitate to recommend, and
| dare say the congress would hesitate
to act upon the suggestion should /
make it, that any man in any Occupa-
ton should be obliged by law to con
unue In an employment which he de-
sired to leave. To pass Il law which |
forbade or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re !
celvng the approval of society in do
ing so would be to adopt a new prin- |
riple into our Jurisprudence which | |
take IL for granted we are not prepared |
to introduce. But the proposal that |
the operation Of the railways of the |
country shall not be stopped or inter
rupted by the concerted action of or
ganiZed bodies Of men until a public |
shall have been instituted |
which shall make the whole question !
lt issue plain for the judgment Of the
any such principle. 1t is based upon !
he very different principle that the con
'erted action Of powerful bodies Of men |
shall not be permitted TO stop the in
iuStrial processes Of the nation, at any |
rate before the nation shall have had |
m opportunity to acquaint itself with |
.he merits of the case as between em- |
lloyee and employer, time to form it's |
opinion upon an impartial statement |
IF the merits, and opportunity to CON
slider all practicable means of concilia-
ion or arbitration.
l can see nothing in that proposition
Dut the justifiable safeguarding by So
,iety Of the necessary processes of
is very life. There is nothing arbi-
rary or unjust in it unless it be arbi-
rarily and unjustly done. 1t can and
should be done with Il full and scrupu-
Gus regard for the interests and liber-
les of all concerned as well as for the
permanent interests Of society itself.
Other Legislation Urged.
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 pro-
noting the foreign commerce of the
than is now thought by some
to be legal under the terms of the laws
against monopoly; the bilT amending
the present organic law of Porto Rico;
and the bill proposing a more thor
Ough and systematic regulation of the
of money in elections, COM
monty called the Corrupt Practices Act.
need not labor my advice that these
be enacted into law. Their
urgency lies in the manifest circum-
which render their adoption at
this time not only opportune but neces-
sary. Even delay would seriously
leopard the interests of the country
and Of the government.
Immediate passage of the bill to reg
Most Eishernen Have Done Il.