Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-20

ITO say that fair and prompt ar
bitration could not have been had in
this case is to indict both the admin
istration and the American people"
The Menace u Feree
Mr.. Hughes held that there was no
justification Of the yielding Of princi-
ple." OF those who sought to excuse the
administration on the ground Of exigency.
he would ask, he said, How far do you
propose to yield to force?"
Asserting that force can reject courts
as well as arbitration. that it can dispose
with any part Of the orderly procedure
of government which It may oppose" Mr.
Hughes continued:
when force is proposed and arbitration
refused there IL but one stand to take,
and that is to appeal to the judgment of
the country to vindicate the processes Of
reason. Had the executive, when arbitra-
tion was declined. at once directed the
force Of public opinion as he easily could,
to tho demand Of the people for arbitra-
ton, have no doubt we would have won
and the nation would have been his
debtor.
Had the executive gone at once to
Congress for immediate authority to Sc
cure prompt and thorough investigation
of the stated grievances in advance Of ac-
tion and had he thus made instant pro-
vision for an inquiry so entirely compe-
tent as TO command the respect of the
country, I am satisfied there could have
been no strike. We are still ruled by pub
lie opinion and no administration need
fear results II it stand firm for essential
principle
Mr.. Hughes explained that he was not
speaking of 1.-The propriety or advisab iity
of fixing wages by law" but of a more
fundamental Observation-Disclosures ac-
cording to facts as opposed to legisla-
ton under pressure in the absence Of in
quiry" He continued:
1--WE have undoubtedly too much leg
islation without adequate consideration,
but there are usually the forms and
presumptions Of legislative considera-
tion on the merits Of proposals. Here
even those were absent.
within a few hours on demand Of
the administration, Congress provided a
mandatory increase of wages, involving
millions of dollars without any idea
whether the increase was or was not
justified. And this action was taken in
connection with the essential instru-
mentality Of commerce, the arteries of
our commercial life.
"Mr. Adamson said Of his bill, 1T is
hasty legislation, I admit, to meet an
emergency The emergency Of force to
which the administration had capitu-
lated.
information on which to legislate and
fix rates Of wages which We are going
to do and are attempting to do
Contrast the action of this admins
tration with what Grover Cleveland in
1886 said with respect to labor legis-
lation-'All legislation on the subject
should be calm and deliberately under
taken with no purpose Of satisfying un-
reasonable demands or gaining partisan
advantage. We are dealing with what
was demanded and actually enacted.
Labor Mans Admission
zone Of the foremost friends Of la
Dor in this country states the plain
truth in writing to me as follows:
Those of US who know the labor
struggle and have helped in the fight
for standardizing in our Industrial life
well know that In the end laborers
gain nothing by violence. unjust or ar
bitrary action of any kind or the ex-
ercise of anti ti-social power Of any de.
scription. However, some groups may
be advanced in economic power by il
legitimate means. The common inter-
ests Of the great group Of toilers can
never be. Such gains are always at
the cost of public opinion and sup
port. are temporary and evanescent
in character and operate to lessen the
cooperation of that just public. senti-
ment for the well-being Of the work.
ers of the world so essential to their
improvement of the conditions of la
bor.'
1--WE have an unjustifable attempt
to use public sentiment with respect
to an eight-hour day in order to JUS
tify bill which does not provide an
eight-hour work day, but related sole
ly to an increase in wages. We have
seen the choice of what seemed to be
the easier way which escaped the ne
cessity of determined stand for prin-
ciples. We have seen what has ap-
peared to be the consideration Of i'm
mediate political expediency at the ex-
pense Of public welfare.
"The issue thus presented is funda-
mental. The multiplying activities Of
the government would be intolerable if
we did not proceed in accordance with
judgment based on an examination Of
the facts. These processes Of reason
are only alternative to tyranny. We
are an alert and intelligent people with
every opportunity for ascertaining the
facts of any situation. Our problems
In the future are likely to be in the
main economic problems and they will
severely test our capacity, but we shall
find solutions If we are open minded
and thorough in our investigation"