Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-12-08


In the interstate commerce commits
sion's membership and in its facilities
for performing its manifold duties. the
provision for full public investigation
and assessment Of Industrial disputes, |
and the grant to the executive of the |
power to control and operate the rail-
ways when necessary I'm time OF war |
or other like public necessity now |
very earnestly renew.
The necessity for such legislation Is |
manifest and pressing. Those who have |
intrusted us with the responsibility |
and duty of serving and safeguarding
them in such matters would find 1t
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 Ii practi-
cally impossible. with its present men,
bership and organization, to perform
its great functions promptly and thor
oughly, but 1t is not unlikely that it
may presently be found advisable to
add to its duties still others equally
heavy and exacting. 1t must first be
| perfected as an administrative instru-
ment.
The country cannot and should not
consent to remain any longer exposed
to profound Industrial disturbances for
lack of additional means OF arbltra-
ton and Cancellation which the con-
gress can easily and promptly supply.
And all win agree that there must be
no doubt as to the power OF the exacu-
tive to make immediate and uninter-
rupted use of the railroads for the con
centration of the military forces of the
nation wherever they are needed and
whenever they are needed.
This Is program of regulation, pre-
vention and administrative efficiency
which argues its own case In the mere
statement of 1t. With regard to one
of its items, the increase in the eff
cheney of the interstate commerce COM
mission, the house OF representatives
has already acted; It's action needs
only the concurrence of the senate.
For Control and Operation.
would hesitate to recommend, and
I dare say the congress would hesitate
to act upon the suggestion should l
make it, that any man in any occupa-
ton should be obliged by law to CON
tinue in an employment which he de-
sired to leave. To pass a law which
forbade or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
ceiving the approval of society in do
ing 50 would be to adopt a new prin-
ciple into our Jurisprudence which ]
take 1t 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 inter.
rupred by the concerted action Of or,
. ganized bodies of men until a public
investigation shall have been instituted
J which shall make the whole question
: at issue plain for the Judgment of the
J opinion of the nation is not to propos,
any such principle. 1t Is based upor
J the very different principle that the con
: certed action of powerful bodies of mel
j shall not be permitted to stop the In
[ dustrial processes of the nation, at an,
rate before the nation shall have ha,
l an opportunity to acquaint itself witt
3 the merits of the case as between EN-
: ployee and employer. time to form it
E opinion upon an impartial statemen
: of the merits, and opportunity to con
: slider all practicable means of conciIia
ton or arbitration.
can see nothing In that proposition
4 but the tustifable safeguarding by "a
: ciety OF the necessary processes q
4 Its very life. There is nothsng arb
: trary or unjust in 1t unless il be arb
r trarily and unJustly done. IL can an
should be done with a full and scrup,
! lous regard for the interests and lIbel
!. ties of all concerned as well as for til
n permanent interests Of society itself.
h Other Legislation Uraed.
= Three matters af asaffeI
= await the action of the senate whic
+ have already been acted upon by Ii
r house of representatives the bI
Is which seeks to extend greater freedol
y OF combination to those engaged In DR.
noting the foreign commerce of Il
70 country than is now thought by SON
q to be legal under the terms of the Law
n against monopoly; the bill amendlr
n the present organic law OF Porto RIce
q and the bin proposing a more tho
W ough and systematic regulation OF Il
IL expenditure of money In elections, cor
y monty called the Corrupt Practices AZ
n l need not labor my advice that the
n measures be enacted into law. The
urgency Hes In the manifest -circur
"a stances which render their adoption
r.. this time not only opportune but nece
70 sary. Even delay would serious
m leopard the interests OF the count
:. and of the government.
Immediate passage OF the bill to re
- ulate the expenditure OF money IN ele
to tons may seem TO be less necessa
"A than the Immediate enactment Of d
ID other measures to which refer; b
ID cause at least two years will clap
. before another election in which "a