The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-12-05
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
CONTINUED from First Page

its inclination to do justice when there
is no reason to doubt either
The other suggestions-the increase
IN the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion's membership and in its facilities
for performing its manifold duties, the
provision for full public investigation
and assessment of industrial disputes,
and the grant to the executive of the
power to control and operate the rail-
ways when necessary in time of war or
other like public necessity now very
earnestly renew.
The necessity for such legislation is
manifest and pressing. Those who
have entrusted US with the response
bility and duty of serving and safe
guarding them in such matters would
find it hard, | believe, to excuse a
failure to act upon these matters or
any unnecessary postponement of &C
ton upon them.
Not only does the Interstate Com
merce Commission now find it practi-
cally impossible, with it's present men,
bership and organization to perform
its great functions promptly and
thoroughly but it is not unlikely that
it may presently be found advisable
to add to it's duties still others equal
ly heavy and exacting. 1t must first
be perfected as an administrative in
strument.
The country cannot and should not
consent to remain any longer exposed
to profound industrial disturbances for
lack of additional means of arbitra-
ton and Cancellation which the con-
gress can easily and promptly supply.
And all will agree that there must be
no doubt as to the power of the exec
utive to make immediate and uninter-
rupted use of the railroads for the con-
centration of the military forces of
the nation wherever they are needed
and whenever they are needed.
This is a programme of regulation,
prevention and administrative efficien-
cy which argues it's own case in the
mere statement of it. With regard
to one of its items, the increase in
the efficiency of the Interstate Com
meree Commission, the House of Rep
resentatives has already acted; its ac-
ton needs only the concurrence of the
Senate.
| would hesitate to recommend and
dare say the congress would hest
tate to act upon the suggestion should
l make it, that any man in any oc-
cupation should be obliged by law to
continue in an employment which he
desired to leave. To pass law
forbade or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
ceiving the approval of society in do
ing so would be to adopt new prin-
ciple into our jurisprudence which l
take it for granted we are not pre-
pared to introduce. But the proposal
that the operation of the railways Of
the country shall not be stopped Or
interrupted by the concerted action
of organized bodies of men until a
public investigation shall have been in
stituted which shall make the whole
question plain for the judgement of
the opinion of the nation is not to
propose any such principle. 1t is
based upon the very different princi-
Pile that the concerted action of pow
erful bodies of men shall not be per-
mitted to stop the industrial process
es of the nation, at any rate before
the nation shall have had an oppor-
tunity to acquaint itself with the mer-
its of the case as between employee
and employer, time to form it's opin-
ion upon an impartial statement of the
merits, and opportunity to consider all
practicable means of Cancellation or
arbitration. can see nothing in that
proposition but the justifable safe
guarding by society of the necessary
processes of it's very life. There is
nothing arbitrary or unjust in it I'M
less it be arbitrarily and unjustiy
done. 1t can and should be done with
full and scrupulous regard for the
interests and liberties of all concern
ed as well as for the permanent inter-
ests of society itself.
Three matters of capital Importance
await the action of the Senate which
have already been acted upon by the
House of Representatives: the bill
which seeks to extend greater free
dom of combination to those engaged
in promoting the foreign commerce of
the country than is now thought By
some to be legal under the terms of
the laws against monopoly; the bill
amending the present organic law of
Porto Rico; and the bill proposing a
more thorough and systematic regula-
ton of the expenditure of money in
elections, commonly called the Cor
rupt Practices Act. l need not labor
my advice that these measures be en-
acted into law. Their urgency lies in
the manifest circumstances which rem
der their adoption at this time not
only opportune but necessary. Even
delay would seriously leopard the IN
terests of the country and of the gov
eminent.
Immediate passage of the bill TO
regulate the expenditure of money in
elections NAV Seem fo he less neceS-