Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-12-08
The Presidents Message.

In his address to Congress the President laid
particular emphasis, as was expected on the i'm
portance of completing the program of legislation
having to do with the differences between the rail-
roads and their employees in train service. The
passage of the Eight Hour bill and the creation of
a commission to study its effects on all the inter-
ests concerned were simply the first steps in
problem of far-reaching moment. Unless the re-
naming steps are taken with due promptness and
with wisdom and frmness, there will be no assur-
against future emergencies perplexing and
dangerous that which arose last summer.
AS far statutes and institutions go, the Gov
eminent is no better prepared than then to
deal with industrial crises like threatened nation
wide strike There are still authoritative means
for bringing the parties to such dispute to the
bar of imperial inquiry and mediation and of hold
ing them there until the merits of the case can be
determined. Such deficiency is so inconsistent
with the principles of American government,
unfair to the majority of the people and poten-
TALLY dangerous to the country that Congress
should not rest until it has been remedied.
AS to just what terms law for this purpose
should contain, there will be sharp differences of
opinion, but of irreconcilable nature if the
common interests rather than particular interests
are taken standard. The President states the
case cogently and justly when he says:
II would hesitate to recommend, and 1
dare say the congress would hesitate to act
upon the suggestion should 1 make it, that
any man in any occupation should be obliged
by law to continue in an employment which he
desired to leave. To pass law which for
babe prevented the individual workman to
leave his work before receiving the approval of
society in doing so would be to adopt a new
principle into Jurisprudence which take
it for granted we are not prepared to introduce.
Rut he Hiatt he oF tba mil
ways of the country shall not be stopped or in
terrupted by the concerted action of organized
bodies of men until public investigation shall
have been instituted which shall make the
whole question at issue plain for the judgment
of the opinion Of the nation is not to propose
any such principle. 1t is based upon the very
different principle that the concerted action of
powerful bodies of men shall not be permitted
to stop the industrial processes of the nation,
at any rate before the nation shall have had an
opportunity to acquaint itself with the merits
of the between employee and employer
time to form its opinion upon important
statement of the merits and opportunity to con-
slider all practicable means of Cancellation or
arbitration. l nothing in that propo-
sition but the justifable safeguarding by So
ciety of the necessary processes of it's very life
There is nothing arbitrary unjust in it un-
less it be arbitrarily and unjustly done. 1t can
and should be done with full and scrupulous
regard for the interests and liberties of all con-
cerned well for the permanent interests
of society ITSELF"
There is need of argument to support the
Presidents recommendation that the Executive be
empowered in case of military necessity "to make
immediate and uninterrupted use of the railroads"
and that the Interstate Commerce Commission be
enlarged and reorganzed in order that it may deal
more promptly and thoroughly than is now possible
with the great province of public interests over
which 1t presides. These matters will be disposed
of easily; indeed the Interstate Commerce Com
mission bill already has passed the House The
crux of the legislative program will come in pro-
viding an efectual and acceptable plan for accom-
modating the difficulties which arise between rail-
roads and their organized employees And that is
a matter which Congress cannot afford to leave nm
settled.
The time at the disposal of the present session
of Congress is so limited that few measures other
than those of paramount Importance can be con-
sdered. IL is to be hoped, however. that before
adjournment the Webb bill permitting LARGER free
dom of combination in developing the country's for
eg4 trade the corrupt practices bill and the voca
tional educational bill may be enacted