The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-12-08
sNLSON CALLSFORS STEPS
BIG RAIL WAY PROBLEM
FOREIGN TRADE URGED.
DevOtes Most of His Address to
Sixty-fOurth Congress to
Question.

the session of congress TODAY was
~hoiiy devoted to domestic subjects.
principally the problem OF railway
legislation.
In the hall of the house with
senators and representatives assem-
oied In Joint session, President Will
son. In accordance with the custom
no began at the opening of his term
read his address from the clerks
desk.
The president not only renewed his
recommendation for legislation TO
prevent nation wide railway strike
or lockout before there has been op-
portunity for investigation, but de-
Tended 1t against the attack of or
ganized labor as nothing arbitrary
or unjust and the "justifable safe
guarding by society of the neces-
sary process of it's very life"
Aside from recommendations for
the passage of The Puerto Rico gov
ernment bill, the corrupt practices
bill and the Webb bill to legalize
American collective selling agencies
abroad, the presidents address was
devoted wholly to the railroad situa.
ton. The only feature which had
not been forecast was the elimina-
tion of the proposal that congress
give explicit approval to considera.
tion by the interstate commerce com.
mission of an increase in freight
rates to meet additional expenditures
by the railroads caused by the opera
tion Of the Adamson law.
No Doubt of Power.
ToG-y the president took the posi-
ton that 1.-The power of the interst tie
copherce commission TO grant an in
c6nse of rates on the ground refer,
red to is indisputably clear and /,
recommendation by the congress
with regrad 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"
The other Recommendations on the
railroad situation made in a special
message during the last session.
which were not put into law, were re,
newed today. They include:
immediate provision for the en-
iargement and administrative reor-
ganization of the interstate com.
merce commission along the lines
embodied in the bill recently passed
by the house of representatives and
now awaiting action by the senate; III
order that the commission NAV be
enabled to deal with the many great
and various duties now devolvine
upon it with a promptness and thor
oughness which are, with its presen,
constitution and means of action.
practically impossible.
"An amendment of .he existin @
federal statute which provides for
the mediation. Cancellation and arbi,
tration of such controversies as the
present by adding to il a provision
that, in case the methods of accom-
modation now provided for should
fail, full public investigation of the
merits of every such dispute shall be
instituted and completed before O.
strike or lockout may lawfully be ar
tempted
"The lodgment in the hands o.
the executive of the power, in case
OF military necessity, to take cont!o.
OF such portions of such rolling stock
of the railways of the country as NAV
be required for military use and to
operate them for military purposes.
with authority to draft into military
service of the United States such
train crews and administrative Off
cials as the circumstances may re-
quire for their safe and efficient
use."
The Biggest Problem.
The renewed recommendation for
compulsory investigation of labor
disputes on railways before strikes
or lockouts are allowed. which hcr
aroused the opposition of the rail-
road brotherhaods. and OF the
American Federation of Labor. wa
defended in the presidents MOSAIC.
He declared he would hesitate 10
recommend a law which would fore
individual workmen to continue IN
an employment which they desired to
leave. but that no such principle was
involved in the suggestion that the