Evening journal., 1916-12-07

One thing stands out in President
Wilson's admirably brief message TO
Congress. That is the Presidents de-
sire to see his full program OF rail-
read regulation enacted into law,
even though he now mas TO face the
opposition Of the four railroad broth
crnOods at whose beheat and IN whose
interest the misnamed Adamspn eight
hour law was cataDulted through Goa
gross last summer
Mr.. Wilson was bound in honor 10
renew those Of his recommendations
which Congress thrust aside three
months ago in the mad rush 10 pla-
cate the brotherhood leaders. Taken
in their entirety. the Presidents orig
inal recommendation struck a some
what crude, but not unequal, bal
ance between the interest of the en-
ployes and those OF the railroad com
panies. They also aimed at additional
protection for the public whose IN
terest in the non-interruptiOn of in
terstate transportation is even more
vital than the interest of the railroad
companies themselves.
The companies would not have look
ed askance last August at a settle
ment of the wage dispute with the
brotherhOods which while granting
higher wages and shortened hours
would also have compelled the Inter
state Commerce Commission to grant
| the carriers corresponding increases
in freight rates. The public would
have been more or less reconciled to
paying higher freight rates If. as a
compensation, il had been guaranteed
against the possibility Of sudden and
/ paralyzing nationwide railroad
strikes. II certainly would he worth
to ihe nation a much larger sacrifice
than a slight raise in FIRE ght charges
/ to be secured forever against indus
trial anarchy-to have achieved al
| Last the elimination OF a chronic con
dition OF civil war in so basic ma
tional industry as transportation.
Congress would have been applaud
cd. not condemned. IL it had enacted
Mr.. Wilson's complete program into
law But IL did not do that. u picked
out from the Presidents six recon-
mendat'ons the two which secured al
arbitrary wa ge increase for the broth
erhoods. II legislated exclusively fol
j the benefit o. one Of the three inter
ests concerned. ignoring the necessity
of doing equal justice to the othel
two interests. Congress was criti
cised-and properly criticised To-
losing ITS head. for enacting undei
threat and pressure. for not havini
the moral courage TO couple its gran
Of higher wages to the brotherhood
with conditions which would protec
the railroads from spoliation tn'
which would also prevent a recur
renee Of the hold-up which forced th'
passage Of the Adamson law.
Democratic Senators Of breadth 0
mind and independence protested las
summer against the Adamson surren
der. They recognized the one-sde'
character Of the settlement whicl
Congress- was intimidated into max
ing. They held that II any Legislation
extending Federal regulation was 4
be passed II ought TO be Legislation
which covered a wider ground an
served all interests. instead of on
interest They knew that law com
pelling a fair all-round adjustmen
could have been passed. The clos'n
days Of August were the golden mo
ment for passing it, since in the emer
gency then existing factionalism 4
Congress was stllled and dlatory tac
tics were too hazardous to be employ
ed on behalf Of any selfish, obstruC
tive interest
! Congress sought peace, however