The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1916-11-02

, pulsory arbitration law. and am vii
!, them on that proposition, but do W
: know that when you pass law
which the Congress of the Unite
States Axes your wage or creates
tribunal by which your wage Is fixe
that that Is the first step towards con
\ pulsory arbitration, and you are boun
to get to 1t just as sure as the ma
is bound to go to the bottom when +
jumps over Niagara Falls.
Tho President submitted to us tn
| third proposition, t0-wit: Making
q penal offense, criminal offense, fc
q man to strike during the invest
cation. What is that but compulsor
arbitration? And yet, my friends,
say to you 1t is logical. The Presider
is absolutely right If you start in t
fixing wages by the government. tn
| government will see that these wage
are lived up to, and for that reasO
I should have voted against any Akin
of wage by any government tribune
of any kind whatever, because 1t lead
inevitably to an enforcement of tn
| wage as the government fixes It.
The President said at Shadow Law
statement here upon the desk, tina
when Congress met in December n
proposed to see that this provision
with reference to making it q crimina
offense to strike. and making the de
cree of the tribunal decree of tn
Court, is carried into effect and mad
a part of the law.
1 don't know how you think
about it. want to say to you
80 n n
to compulsory arbitration as WINS
opposed to the government Of the
United States fixing the wages,
and IL the working men of this
country are entering upon the
proposition of the government fix
ing the wages, either through
Congress or a tribunal, they will
take the next step which the
President OF the United States has
outlined in his message to Con-
grcss.
In the first place, therefore, 1t
is not an eight hour day, but a
wage question. In the second
place, 1t is fixing the wage by
Congress, which In my Judgment
is dangerous. In the third place,
1t leads to compulsory arbitra-
ton. In the fourth place, COM
pulsory arbitration leads to invOl-
untary servitude, all of which is
un-American and contrary to the
best interests OF the working men
Of this country. (Applause.)
But, my friends, this law ex-
pires of it's own force few
months after the election. Why
should it be necessary, If you are
establishing a principle as an
eight-hour day, principle of hui
mainly or justice, as an eight
hour day, for 1t to expire in few
months. Will 1t be any less an
act of Justice or humanity in nine
months as it is now? You will
be precisely in a year from now
where you were at the beginning,
with this exception, that you will
have established the precedent of
a government fixing wages, which
/ venture to say the working men
Of this country will never accept
when it is finally understood in
all of it's consequences.
MEXICAN SITUATION.
Now, my friends, fastening on. |
went to discuss for few moments
certain phases of the foreign affairs
the Mexican question. / do not desire
to detain you too long, but do not
come often. I want to discuss this,
and then shall have held you as long
as think In good conscience I can.
Will you read another plank from
the Democratic platform adopted at
1--WE pledge ourselves
anew to preserve the sacred rights of
American citizenship at home and
abroad" A fundamental principle of
"The constitutional
rights of American citizens should
protect them on our borders and go
with them throughout the world, and
every American citizen residing pr
having property in any foreign country
is entitled to and must be given the
full protection of the United States
both for himself and his
L believe in every word, sylla-
BILE, phrase and sentence of that
platform. The government of the
United States is under obligation
to protect its citizens and their
property SO long as they owe al
legfance to the Republic, upon
whatever part of Gods fOOtstOol
they may stray. (Applause.)
That is the Mexican platform. In
discussing this Mexican question, / am
going to deviate from the better rules
If public discussion to certain extent
~ referring, in a brief way, to my own
attitude upon this question. / do so
lot for the purpose of exhibiting any
supposed wisdom which may be con-
aimed in it, but for the reason that
10 not think 1t would be fair for a
nan that has had the honor to be a
member of the foreign relations com
nittee of the Senate to sit idly by and
,e silent while the President was deal
ng with such an important question,
md make no suggestion of principle
II proceeding, and then, after the his
ory has been written. to criticise 1T.
would deem myself estopped in this
from offering any sugges-
ions now had I sat entirely silent as
member of the foreign relations
ommittee while In the heat of this
controversy and had not spoken when
was under obligation to speak. 1t is
or this reason that I refer to some
matters concerning myself, in order to
lace me in fair attitude before this
udience.
AS 1 stated, l have had the honor of
eing a member of the foreign rela-
ons committee of the Senate for the
lst six years, and all these questions
ONE Immediately before our commit
,e During the early struggle with
ne Mexican question, and at time
hen they were seeking to get rid of
.uerta, the President invited the for
gn relations committee to the White
ouse to discuss the situation. | am
OF privileged, of course, to state the
ews which the President expressed
lere. 1 am not privileged, of course,
give any view which may have been
ltertained by him at that time, or
ate his conversation, but | am per-
tilted to say that upon that night
messed 70 the President in cOnnec-