Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-29

upon time limit so short that there
were barely hours enough to draw
the bill and vote upon it.
Matter of Wages.
"If the eight hour-day had been the
proposition, congress on its own initi-
alive, would have had reasonable
ground for approving it. That prob
lem has been studied and discussed
for years. | fought for it all my pub
lie life. 1t has long been the work.
limit in the immense operations OF
the government itself. The whole in
dustrial trend is toward it. But the
eight-hour day was not the point in
dispute. The controversy was over
the raise of wages for one-fifth of the
railway employees who we're already
paid much more than four -fifths Of
their comrades. 1t was to legislate
this increase that the president forced
congress with the menace OF national
catastrophe.
The Supreme Court.
1.-THE abasement of government, and
that alone, and nothing else, is the
issue. The national government lies
with its face in the dust and the feet
of force on its neck. 1t is our duty
and privilege to put it once more on
its feet and make it again the impair.
tial agent of all the people, instead Of
the whimpering slave of any faction,
to the plant tool of any cabal.
"The legislative department makes
the laws, the judicial department in
terprets them. This law will be tested
in the courts. Suppose the same
power that overawed congress by
threats of national disaster, should
say to the supreme court OF the
United States, when the law comes
before it: If you do not, without argu-
ment or consideration, forthwith de-
eide this case as we dictate, the ma
ton will be paralyzed immediately
What answer would the country make
to that? Yet forcing court to hold
law valid is the same as forcing
congress to pass or defeat a bill.
THE presidents course was not
necessary to prevent the strike.
Peace With Honor.
"A strong, calm president would
have said to both sides: Gentlemen,
there is third party to this dispute;
F, this third party is more important
than both OF you put together, because
il gives the railroads the right to ex-
list on the one hand, and it pays every
dollar out of which comes the wages
of the men on the other hand. That
third party is the American people
am their official representative. They
desire only justice to both railroads
and employees. They wish you to ar.
bitrate your differences. As the party
most interested, they demand that yor
do so. If you railway managers re,
fuse, |, as the authorized agent of the
principal party in interest, will ask
the national courts to appoint receiv.
ers, and there are a dozen grounds
for their appointment. II the rail
ways accept and you heads Of the
brotherhoods refuse and strike, | will
see that not only every train carrying
a mail car is run, but that every traii
on which there is an ounce Of gov
ernment properly is also run. | will
appeal to the power of the courts or
the one hand, and l will use all my
authority as commander-in-ch chief O.
the military forces OF the nation or
the other hand II the president hat
firmly and quietly taken that attitude
does any man suppose that either tn,
railways or the men would have re
sistedi
Turmoil Were Better.
IF, in spite Of this, either side ha,
chosen war, it would have been bette
for the country to have gone through
the turmoil and damage than for tn