The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-08-29
FULL TEXT Of PRESIDENTS
Plea FOR POWER TO OPERATE
THE RAILROADS OF The NATION

| eight.hour day by the concerted nc
ton OF organized labor. backed BY
the favorable judgment OF society
/ the representatives. OF the railroad
management have felt Justified IN
declining peaceful settlement
which would engage all the forces
OF Justice. public and private. on
They feel the hostile influence
OF shippers. who would be opposed
to an increase OF freight rates tfor
which. however. OF course. the pub
lie itself would pay. they appar
emily feel no confidence that the
Interstate commerce commission
would Withstand the objections
that would be made. They don't
care 10 rely upon the friendly as
nurances OF the congress or the
president. They have thought II
best that they should be forced 70
yield. II they must Yield. not by
counsel. but by the word OF the
country.
while my conference with
them were In progress and when
To all outward appearances those
conferences had come 10 a stand.
still. the representatives OF the
brotherhoods suddenly acted and
set the strike for Sept g.
The railway managers based
their decision TO reject my counsel
in this matter upon their conyic-
ton that they must ai any cost 10
themselves or TO the country stand
firm for the principle OF arbitra-
ton which the men had rejected
Il based my counsel upon the In
disputable fact that there was no
means OF obtaining arbitration.
The law supplied none; earnest Of.
forts at mediation had failed TO In
fluence the men in the least
ITO stand firm for the principle
OF arbitration and yet no, get ar
titration seemed TO me futile and
something more than futile be-
cause Il involved incalculsble diE-
tress TO the country and conae.
quencsH in some respects worse
than those OF war and that In the
midst OF peace.
Il yield to no man In firm adj.
herence alike OF conviction and OF
purpose 10 the Iwinciple OF arbitra,
ton in Industrial disputes. but
that matters have come 10 n crisis
In this dispute and the country
has been caught unprovided with
any practicable means OF enforc-
ing that conviction In practice Thy
whose fault we will not now stop
to inquired A situation had TO be
met whose elements and fixed con
dltionn were indlsputablc.
The practical and patriotic
course 10 pursue as II seemed 10
me. was TO secure Immediate
peace by conceding the one thing
In the demands OF the men which
society itsclf. and any arbitrators
who represented public sentiment.
were mos, likely 10 approve and
Immediately lay the foundations
for securing arbitration with re.
gard to everything else involved.
The event has confirmed that
Judgment.
But ] could not govern the will
OF others who took an entirely DIFF.
ferent view OF the circumstances
OF the case who even refused 10 ad.
nit the circumstances TO be what
they have turned out TO be.
"Nsvino failed 20 bring the
parties 20 this critical eontro-
very TO accommodation. there
fore. ! turn 70 you. deer,ins II
clearly our duty as public sers.
ants 10 leave nothing vndone
that We can DO 10 safeguard the
life ard Interests o. the nation.
In the spirit OF such purpose I
earnestly recommend the fol-
lowing legislation"
Then follows the specific rec
onmenostion printed or anoth.
er psoe.l