The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-12-08

IOubt elmer
The other suggeStiOns-the increase
IN the Interstate commerce commits
siOn'S membership and in its facilities
for performing lis maHif I'D duties, the
provision for full public investigation
and assessment of industrial disputes,
and th" grant To the executive Of the
power to control and operate the rail-
ways when necessary i'll time of war
or other like public necesSity-I now
very earnestly renew.
The necessity for such legislation is
manifest and pressing. Those who have
lntru>ird us with the responsibility
tnd duty Of serving and safeguarding
them in such matters would find it
hard. | believe. to excuse a failure TO
act upon these grave matters or any
unnecessary poStpOnement of action
upon them.
| Not only does the Interstate com
merce commission now find it practi-
! cally impossible. with its present mem
her>hip ana organization. to perform
its great functions promptly and thor
! Oughy, but ii is not unlikely that it
may presently be found advisable to
add 10 its duties still others equally
heavy and cXacting. 1t must first he
perfected as an administrative inStru-
mpnt
Tie country cannot and should not
consent to remain any longer exposed
.,
lack nf additional means Of arbitra-
ton ana Cancellation which the con
grass can easily and promptly supply.
And AL will agree that there must he
no doubt as to the power Of the execu-
live to make Immediate and uninter-
ruptcd use of the railroads for the con
rentratiOn of the military forces of the
nation wherever they are needed and
whenever they are needed.
This is Il program Of regulation. pre-
yrnti"n and administrative efficiency
which argues its own case in the mere
statement of ii. With regard to one
Of its items. the increase in the eff
cheney of the Interstate commerce com
has already acted; its action needs
only tn" concurrence of the senate.
For Control and Operation.
| would hesitate tn recommend. and
| dare say the congress would hesitate
10 act upon the suggestion should |
make II, that any man i'll any occupa-
ton should be Obliged by law to con
time in an employment which he de
sired to leave. 70 pass Il law which
forbade ar prevented the individual
ceiviEg the approval uf society in do
in% so would he Ia adept Il new prin-
ciplr into orr Jurisprudence which
take it for granted we are not prepared
Ia iuir"Gurr. But the proposal that
The operation of the railways of the
country shall not be stopped or inter
rupted by the concerted action of or
%aniZ"d bodies of men until public
investigation shall have been Instituted
which shall make the whole question
1T issue plain for the Judgment of the
opinion of the nation is not to propose
amy such principle. II is based upon
the very different principle that the con
ccrtcd action of powerful bodies of men
shall not be permitted Ia stop the in
du>iriat processes Of the nation. at any
rate before the nation shall have had
an opportunity la acquaint itself with
The merits of the case as between en-
pl0ye" and employer. time To form It's
opinion upon an impartial statement
Of the merits. and opportunity To con
S;dcr all practicable means of c0ncilia-
ton or arbitration.
! can see nothing in that proposition
but the unsuitable safeguarding BY so
cipty of the necessary processes of
its very life. There is nothing arhi-
trary or unjust in it unless il be arhi-
trariiy and uniuSily done. 1t can and
should he done with full and Scrupu
louS regard Tor the interests and lihrr-
ties "f all concerned as well rs Tor the
permanent interests of society itself.
Other Legislation Urged.
Three matters Uf capital Importance
await liz action of ihe senate which
have already been acted upon by the
h"uS" of representatives the bill
which seeks 10 extend greater freedom
of combination Ia those engaged in pro-
noting the foreign commerce OF the
country than is now thought by some
I" be legal under the terms of the laws
against monopoly: the bill amending
the present organic law of Porto Rico;
ami the bill proposing more thor
ou%i and systematic regulation of the
expenditure Of money in elections. com
monty called the Corrupt Practices Act.
| need not labor my advice that these
measures be enacted into law. Their
urgency lies in the manifest circum-
stances which render their adoption at
this time not only oppOrtune hut neceS-
sary. Even delay would seriously
leopard The interests OF the country
and If the government.
Immediate passage of the bill To reg
Hlate the expenditure of mOpav. in "I4--'-
lions may seem to De less necessary
than the immediate enactment of the
other measures TO which l refer; be-
cause at ieaat two years will clapSe
before another election in which fed