The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1916-01-07
The RhinOCerOs Bird

ClOll VI huHuldCIuleIS Will d WdlHl 3
against the Committee on Industrial
Relations.
Below is an abstract from the "spe-
cial Washington correspondence" of
american Industries" the official
monthly publication of the Associa-
ton that employed Mulhall to corrupt
public servants.
The article is written by one of
those rhinoceros birds that are so
common in Washington. The rhinoc-
eros bird also flourishes in African
swamps. He perches on the back of
the rhinoceros and feeds on the in
sects that he finds on it's thick hide.
In return for this favor he warns the
rhinocesor of the approach of an
enemy by flying into the air and ut
tering shrill cries.
This particular rhinoceros bird
chirps as follows:
1.-TWO dangers confront the business
interests of the country, both are i'm.
mediate and pressing dangers, al
though the interests have heretofore
either wholly disregarded one Of
them, or looked upon it as very re-
mote, one to be considered sometime
in the distant future The first is re-
pressive and oppressive legislation on
the part of the national and state
legislatures, and the second is the
rapid growth of Socialism in the coun
try.
GAS to the first, it is true that
President Wilson has tentatively de.
clared that no further radical legisla-
ton is contemplated, yet all indica-
lions point the other way The re-
newed responsiveness on the part of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
and the hints and suggestions that
have been thrown out by the Federal
Trade Commission, the activity of
labor organizations and the demands
they are preparing to make on con-
gress are all warnings to the business
of the country that a hard battle is
before it. There was brief time
when the Interstate Commerce Com
mission gave hope that transporta-
ton lines were to be given some lit
tie opportunity to make earnings
large enough to enable them to meet
the demands of the public in the way
of betterments, but such hope has
been rudely dispelled, and today trans
portation lines are once more amid
the breakers.
For some years organized labor
has maintained in Washington most
persistent and energetic lobby, filling
the galleries and Hobbies of the CAPT
toll, and besieging members of con-
gress at every turn. Today second
lobby is added to that headed by Mr..
Gompers. The new lobby is under
of the late industrial commission. He
has opened up headquarters and
bluntly announced what he and his
followers propose to demand-not to
ask-of congress. One demand is a
law taking away from the courts the
power to declare congressional enact
ments unconstitutional especially
when such enactments have to do
with labor in any form. Another is
that all supplies needed by the gov
eminent, including vessels of war, mu
nitions, guns, etc., be made in gov
eminent plants. A third is the or
ganization and arming of a we'll
drilled army of labor, and fourth that
neither the regular army nor the ma
tional guard shall ever be used against
striking labor organizations.
Mr. Walsh calls his new organiza
ton THE Industrial Relations Com
mittee." The committee is compos-
ed of twelve members, seven of them
being rather notorious for their radi-
calism regarding labor, and the other
five are well-known agitators, and ad
vocates of impossible Utopias. A
publicity bureau has been opened and
the press is to be fed with rank ar.
guments favoring the declared pur.
poses of the committee. Politicians,
as a rule, are notable towards when
it comes to facing demands made by
labor organizations and a threat of
loss of votes frequently frightens
them into doing things their better
conscience condemns. 1t was such a
scare that forced them to pass the
Clayton law and the federal trade
commission act.