Evening journal., 1916-12-05

and duty Of serving and safeguarding
them in such matters would find il
hard, | believe, 20 excuse failure to
act upon these grave matters or any
unnecessary postponement Of action.
Not only does the interstate com
merce commission now find II practical
ly impossible with its present member
ship and organization. TO perform its
great functions promptly and thorough
ly but it is not unlikely that It may
presently be found advisable to add to
its duties still others equally heavy and
eKacting II must first be perfected as
an administrative instrument
The country cannot and should not
consent 10 remain any longer exposed
to profound Industrial disturbances
for lack OF additional means Of arbl-
tration and conciliation which the con-
gress can easily and promptly supply.
And all will agree that there must he
no doubt as to the power Of the execu-
tive 10 make immediate and unintsr-
rupted use Of the railroads for the con
centration OF the military forces NJ the
nation wherever they are needed and
whenever they are needed.
This is a program or regulation. pre-
venton and administrative efficiency
which argues its own case in the mere
statement Of IT, With regard to one OF
its items. the increase in the efficiency
Of the interstate commerce commission.
the house Of representatives has al
ready acted. It's action needs only the
concurrence Of the senate.
To Safeguard Industrial Processes.
would hesitate to recommend, and
1 dare say the congress would hesitate
to act upon the suggestion should /
make It, that any man in any Occupa
tion should be obliged by law TO con-
tinue in an employment which he de-
sired to leave.
To pass a law which forbade or pre-
vented the individual workman TO leave
his work before receiving the approval
Of society I'm doing so would be &c
adopt a new principle into our Juris
prudence which / take It for 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 concert
ed action Of organized bodies OF men
until a 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.
It is based upon the very different
principle that the concerted action OF
powerful bodies Of men shall not be
permitted to stop the industrial pro
cesses OF the nation. at any rate before
the nation shall have had an opportu
nifty TO acquaiut itself with the merits
OF the case as between employee and
employer, time TO form its opinion upon
an impartial statement OF the merits
and opportunity to consider all practi
cable means OF conciliation or arbitra
tion
y can see nothing in that proposition
but the justihable safeguarding by so
ciety OF the necessary processes Of IFS
very life. There is nothing arbitrary
Or unjust in It unless It he arbitrarily
and uniustly done. II can and should
be done with a full and scrupulous re
gard for the interests and liberties OF
all concerned as well as for the per
manent interests Of society itself
Three matters Of capital importanc,
await the action Of the senate which
have already been acted upon by tn,
house OF representatives-the bill which
seeks to extend greater freedom Of
combination to those engaged n pro
noting 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 amend
ing the present organic law OF Porte
Rico and the bill proposing a more
thorough and systematic regulation Oi
the expenditure Of money in elections
commonly called the corrupt practices
act. I need not labor my advice thai
these measures be enacted into law
Their urgency lies in the manifest cir
cumstances which render their adop
ton at this time not only opportunt
but necessary. Even delay would Sc
riously leopard the interests OF the
country and OF the government
Immediate passage OF the bin to reg
ulate the expenditure Of money II
elections may seem to be less neces
sary than the immediate enactment OF