Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-06
More Sounding Brass

CANDIDATE HUGHES'S effort to win votes
- for himself by attacking the President s
settlement of the railroad strike which
threatened the country with disaster is
exactly similar. in character and method
to his effort to win votes by attacking the
Presidents success in stopping German sub
marine destruction OF American lives.
When the negotiations between the Presi-
dent, on the one hand and the railroad man
ayers and representatives of the brother
hoods on the other. were in progress at Wash
ington, Mr.. Hughes was criticizng the al
legged extravaganza Of the administration and
wailing because Democrats had replaced Re-
publicanS in government service. When the
controversy was transferred from the White
House to the Capitol; when the Adamson
bill passed the House with the aid OF
sercnty-four Republican votes, Mr.. Hughes
was still silent on what he now says is the
paramount issue of the campaign. When
the measure reached the Senate and single
Republican Senator could have defeated it,
Mr. Hughes had never word to say on this
vital subject.
Even now, though he has much to say,
there is nothing to the point He criticizes
without restraint, he abuses and denounces
without moderation. but he never offers to
say what his course would be should he be-
come President. He does not say he would
urge the repeal of the eight-hour law In
-
repeal. it is difficult to see how he could ac-
complish that result with three-ffths Of his
party's representation in the House already
registered in favor Of the legislation.
As a matter of fact, everybody knows the
law will not be repealed 1t is experimental
in it's nature and very terms, and the expert
ment for which it provides will be made
under the inspection of Il commission Presi-
dent Wilson has named. The commission
is made up of three men Of high character
and distinguished ability. They are not
theorists but hard-headcd, practical. expert
enced men of affairs General Cocktails Mr.
Clark and Mr. Rublce have been accustomed
to deal with great industrial questions and
the report they will make, it is altogether
certain. Will have the approval Of the coun-
try. If the commission finds the new ar
rangement just and equitable it will he
continued in operation; if it is shown to be a
failure. ii the nature Of railroad train SER
vice makes the eight-hour day impossible or
ovcronerous. that will be the end of It,
Faced by great domestic catastrophe
President Wilson and a Democratic Congress
averted it. just as President and Congress
dealt with the foreign menace to our hap
piness and peace. The result in both cases
was to save the people OF this country from
losses without measure
The products OF the Wilson policies are
peace, preparedness, prosperity They are
blessings, material and indubita ble which all
see and in. which all have a share That
they might have been attained in some other
way is possible, OF course but nobody knows
whether under another leadership they would
have been attained. Under the Wilson
leadership the nation actually has them in
It's grasp. lO exchange certainty for UNI
certainty would be an almost criminal folly
Ohio voters are heckling the women spell