The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1916-12-06

military forces of the nation wherever they are
needed and whenever they are needed.
This is program of regulation, prevention,
and administrative efficiency which argues its own
Ease IN the mere statement of it. With regard to
one OF It's items, the increase in the efficiency of the
interstate Commerce Commission, the House of
Representatives has already acted; its action
needs only the concurrence of the Senate.
! would hesitate TO recommend, and | dare saw
the Congress would hesitate to act upon the sus-
Sestlon should | make it, that any fian in anv &C
cupatlon should be obliged by law to continue in
en- employment which he desired to leave To
| pass law which forbade or prevented the individ-
ua workman to leave his work before receiving the
approval OF society in doing so would be to adopt
a new principle into our jurisprudence which | take
| 1t tor granted we are not prepared 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 public investigation shall have been insti-
tuted which shall make the whole question at issue
PLAIN tor4the judgment of the opinion of the nation
IS not to propose any such principle. 1t is based
upon the very different principle that the con
certed action OF powerful bodies of men shall not
be permitted to stop the industrial process of the
hatlon, at any rate before the nation shall have
had an opportunity to acquant itself with the mer-
its OF the case as between employee and employer
time to form its opinion upon an impartial state
ment of the merits and opportunity to consider all
practicable means of Cancellation arbitration
can see nothing in that proposition but the usti-
table safeguarding by society of the necessary pro-
cesses of its very life. There is nothing arbitrary
or TN Just in it unless it be arbitrarily and unusty
done 1t can and should be done with full and
scrupulous regard for the interests and liberties of
all concerned as well for the permanent interests
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
DILL which seeks to extend greater freedom of COM
blnatlon to those engaged in promoting the for
lcign 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
lorganlc law of Porto Rico; and the bill PROPOSING
a more thorough and systematic regulation of the
expenditure of money in elections, commonly call
led the Corrupt Practices Act | need not labor
my advice that these measures be enacted into law
Their urgency lies in the manifest circumstances
which render their adoption at this time not only
lopportune but necessary. Even delay would Sc
rlously eopardize the interests of the country and
of the government.
Immediate passage of the bill to regulate the ex-
Ipendlture of money in elections may seem to be
less necessary than the immediate enactment OF
the other measures to which | refer; because at
least two years will elapse before another cleo
ton in which federal offices are to be filled but it
would greatly relieve the public mind if this i'm
portant matter were dealt with while the cirtu
stances and the dangers to the public morals of the
Ipresent method of obtaining and spending cam
Ipagn funds clear under recent observation and the
methods of expenditure be frankly studied in
the light OF present experience; and delay would
have the further very serious disadvantage of post
ponlng action until another election was at hand
and some special OBJ ect connected with it might
| be thought to be in the mind of those who urged
he ken foot 4
ance and without suspicion of partisan purpose
| shall not argue at length the desirability Of
giving freer hand IN the matter of combined and
concerted effort to those who shall undertake the
essential enterprise of building up export trade
hat enterprise will presently, will Immediately as
sumo, has indeed already assumed, a magnitude
unprecedented in our experience. We have not the
necessary lnstrumentalities for its prosecutions it
| is deemed to be doubtful whether they could be
created upon an adequate scale under our present
laws. We should clear away all legal obstacles
and create basis of undoubted law for it which
will give freedom without permitting unreguated
license The thing must be done now, because the
opportunity is here and may escape us if we hest
tate or delay.
The argument for the proposed amendments of
the organic law of Porto Rico is brief and conc1u-
sive. The present laws governing the Island and
regulating the rights and privileges of its people
are not just. We have created expectations of ex-
tended privilege which we have not satisfied. There
IS uneasiness among the people of the Island and
even suspicious doubt with regard to our con-
'tcntions concerning them which the adoption of the
pending measure would happily remove We do
not doubt what we wish to do in any essential par
ticular We ought to do it at once
I There are other matters already advanced to the
stage OF conference between the two Houses OF
which 1t is not necessary that should speak Some
practicable basis of agreement concerning them
twill no dA10 @of =
lnasmuch as this is, Gentlemen, probably the
last occasion | shall have to address the Sixty