Evening journal., 1916-09-09

wages paid for the basic 10-hour day
shall be the minimum paid for the
basic eight-hour day. Is there a lawyer
in the United States who believes such
a provision is constitutional?
Confronted with such a statute,
passed under such conditions, the
course which the railways should
and must adopt, is plain. They should
and must take it into the courts at
the first opportunity and carry it, if
necessary, 70 the Supreme Court OF
the United States. An unconstitu-
tional law is no law It is merely
piece of paper on which printers
ink has been wasted.
IF the inconceivable should hap
pen. and this measure should be up
held, the second step which the rail-
ways should take also is plain. Their
present contracts are based on miles
run as we'll as hours worked"
The Railway Age Gazette recon-
mends the abolition Of the milage
basis Of pay, and continues:
Doubtless, if the railways at
tempt entirely to abolish the mileage
basis of pay. the country will be con-
frOnted again with a threat of a
strike Very good. Il is unfortunate
from the standpoint Of both the rail-
ways and the country that the strike
was averted at this time, since IT had
to be averted by the destruction OF
our form of government and the sub
stitution OF a mobocracy. The man
agements are confident that il the
strike had come. they would have won
il. and if the train employees should
strike rather than work eight hours a
day there can be no doubt that the
railways would whip them. The rail-
WAYS should take the stand from now
on that if they must pay days wage
for eight hours, work they must be
given at least eight hours work for
a days pay, and they should maintain
this stand regardless of CONSEQUENCES.
when the presidents and managers
OF the railways we're engaged In
desperate struggle with the railway
brotherhoods and the Government at
Washington. they were adjured by the
press and the business interests OF
the entire country to stand fast for
sound principles and for their Owr
rights and those of the public. Now
that the principle of voluntary arbi-
tration has been overthrow, what
are the business interests and the
people. who in the long run will be
the most injured, going to do about
il? A handful OF men organized into
labor unions and headed by GOmpers,
Stone. Carter and Lee, are in contro
of the Government.
"The spokesman of organized Ia
Dor. Gompers and the rest OF them. al
ready arc making public speeches,
bOasting of the successful outrage
which they have perpetrated. The
nation, on the other hand, seems 10
feel so relieved that the strike was
averted as to be disposed to go tel
sleep again and edo nothing to pre-
vent the early recurrence of similar
crisis. II the mobrocracy is to be-
overthrown and the Government is 70
be restored to the people, the people
must have leadership. Is there enough
craftsmanship left in the country toI
afford this leadership. or has the
country so long been dominated by
cheap, weak, cowardly, self-seeking
politicians that craftsmanship has
ceased to exist and that under the
control Of the mobocracy the nation
will continue to sink lower and lower
until government of the people. for
the people and by the people, contrary
to Lincoln's prediction. will perish
from the eaTth?"