Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-22
What the President "Faced."

"A word about the SO called eight-hour
law as related to railroad operatives, by
William ]. Stone, United States senator
from Missouri" was issued by the West
Chicago Wednesday. Accompanying the
statement was an assertion that Senator
Stone was representing the thought OF
the administration on the subject The
statement said in part:
''Messrs. Hughes. Roosevelt, Root.
Lodge. Penrose, Crane, Pierpont Morgan,
George W. Perkins and that entire gen.
Jus. maintain that the President and
by discredited public authority and weak
ened the foundations Of our governmental
institution.
"The weakness about this charge is
that it Is false Nobody threatened the
President or Congress; nobody demand
ed anything Of them. There was no con-
troversy between the government and the
railroad employees or railroad manage
ments. The controversy was purely In
dustrial. between several hundred thous-
and men who operate trains and the man.
ayers of the railroads.
The trouble had reached point so
acute that the hundreds of thousands of
men were on the verge of a strike.
1.-THE fact is he continued. the very
threat of this nationwide lookup caused
big jump in the prices of food. coal
and all the necessaries of life and indus
try and it is worthy of note that when
the danger passed prices went back to
normal.
These are the things the President
faced and such the calamity he brave
ly, patiently. periodically sought to
avert. Whoever blames him?
MIR. Hughes says he should have In
vestigated the questions at issue before
acting. They seem to think that al
though the house was on fire, the Presi-
dent should have inquired into the cause
of the fire before putting it out, instead
of first putting it out and then investigat-
ing the cause
II am sure the President can meet this
issue without a shadow Of apprehension"
We are not surprised that the ad-
ministration is desperate in the face of
the contempt of the American people.
We are not surprised that administra-
ton supporters are recklessly en-
deavoring to muddy the waters with
pretense, and attitude of injured inno-
cence.
Governor Hughes has voiced the
feelings of the intelligent public. 1t
was a hold-up, not of the President or
Congress but of the people, and the
offenders were aided and abetted by
the administration.
Senator Stones smile of the house
on fire, was an unfortunate selection
from the administration standpoint,
because the President had known for
many months that the house was go
ing to be on fire and had not lifted a
finger to provide water. hose. ladders.
chemicals or fighters. Indeed it is be-
coming pretty accurately figured out
that the President and Samuel Comp
ers knew when. where and how the
torch was to be applied and had given
assurance to the rch-bearers that
the flames would be extinguished af-
ter they had secured the loot inside.
The President did not command that
the match be withheld until investiga-
ton of the cause had been made. but
promptly told the arsoniers that they
had the sympathy of the public. and to
60 ahead and apply the match.
The every threat" Of which Senator
Stone SO glibly speaks, was a threat,
pure and simple, not against the ad-
administration. Congress or the homes or
pocket books Of the railway owners.
but against helpless millions who were
not permitted word in defense of
their rights. Such a threat" should
have been treated for what it was,
outlawry.
And those millions Of helpless peo-
pie. dependent on the maintenance of
civil and industrial stability, had no
spokesman in the administration. no
defender Of their rights. none to say
that they should not unheard be load
ed with an unjust burden.
Senator Stones recognition of i'm
pending calamity" and bravery" in
"averting" 1t, are a pitiful make be-
heve now fully understood throughout
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