Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-11-29

what she has right to ask for human
ity itself-Woodrow Wilson.
TRANSPORTATION SERVICE AM
THE LABOR UNIONS.
The American people have reache
an important mile-post in their trans
portation business. They are face t
face with problem of the first mag
nitude. Briefly stated it is this: Ho,
shall managers of the railroads an
4, their employees be prevented fror
carrying their disagreements to tn
4 extent of causing confusion an
interruption in the country's railwa,
service? No right thinking person
will contend that society has not tn
right to protect itself against such
cataclysm as the one which wa
threatened when the Adamson S-hou
law was enacted. What can be don,
to secure this desired protection, and
u at the same time, avoid a trespass up
on human rights? The answer to thi.
question calls for heroic legislation
As seen by us the problem has three
distinct features, each of which We
will separately comment upon.
First The situation calls for s
clearance Of the legislative field. al
the present time the field Is covered
with 4S different kinds of state shrub
berry, interspersed with trees Of a
Federal variety. The constitution OF
the United States gives congress full
Y power to regulate interstate commerce,
and, that being true, it is difficult for
some to understand why every state
legislature has been permitted to
dabble In the work. This condition is
D due to the manner in which the Fed
eral constitution is construed. When
congress does not fully legislate upon
any subject within its constitutional
jurisdiction, the several states are at
liberty to act upon such questions;
but when congress does legislate on
any particular subject, then all state
legislation on that subject becomes
void and OF no force or effect.
Many reasons have existed, which
do not now exist, for the failure of
congress to fully occupy this inter-
state commerce field, it's right to
which has never been questioned by
anyone.
When the big railway corporations
largely shaped the railway legislation
5Of the country to their own liking,
they desired both State and Federal
legislation for their regulation, with
q broad twilight zone" between the
two. into which they could dodge on
one side when an action was com
menced against them in state court
Ind into the other side when the action
was commenced in a Federal court
But there is nothing of that nature
Ia the railway problem at the present
line. Congress has already legislated
10 as to require every railroad in the
country to engage in interstate COM
nerce.
The Manchester & Oneida Railway
> only a little more than eight miles
ong, and located entirely within the
orders of Delaware County; and yet, II
that fact, it is Obliged,
y Federal statutes, to contract, when
equested by shipper, for the trans Il,
ortation of freight to any place in i
ne United States that has railway I
srvice. It is one of the links in the @
reat interstate chain that ties the v
ty of Manchester to every other city s
nd town in the country that is locat- v
! upon railroad O
There is now no reason why con- v
ress should not sweep away all "
ate control over Interstate shipments is
nd make that the first step toward G
Diving the great question which is t.
its attention. b.
"a - |
Second. After the field has been
leared, the next step should be in 70
ne direction of providing d peaceful y
lethod for the settlement, in a just .
nd equitable manner, of all disputes y
etween the railroads and their en- y
loyees. Without such a law the la 2
Oring classes are justified in organic =
ng for their protection against the y
FACTIONS Of the master class. 1t fol- y
ows that laborers engaged in inter- II
tate commerce have. a right to or ?
nnize and right to strike, until the p
government gives them the protection v
which they deserve; but, after the q
government has done it's full duty in
he premises, they have no right to p
eopardize the public veal by con- 2
spring to interfere with the country's t
railroad traffic.
We do not believe that Congress :,
has, or should have, the power to
compel any one to work for rail-
road. TO chain men to railroads
would be like turning backward the
hands of time to the days when hui
manity was chained to the land under 4,
The ssFeudal system. That would be
violating a human right, but neither
railroad men, nor any other class Of
men for that mater, have any moral