Evening journal., 1916-12-07
The Presidents Message
From the New York Tribune)

through a timid surrender to the
brotherhoods, because they were the
most highly organized and most
threatening factor in the situation.
Now that the President al election is
over and the political value Of that
surrender (whatever il was) has been
cashed in. it remains for Congress TO
complete the partial settlement Of
last August
There will be little enough time at
this session to do justice to the rail-
roads and the public. President VIII
son minated in one OF his campaign
speeches that a new and fairer bal
ance would have to be struck when
Congress reassembled II is to his
credit that he now urges the two
houses to perform duty which should
have been performed when the make
shift Adamson law was passed.
The recommendation that the In
terstate Commerce Commission should
be instructed to compensate the rail
roads for the wage increase ordered
by Congress is withdrawn. The Presi-
dent says that the commission can do
that without an authorization from
Congress; and in that he is right.
Only the commissions reluctance 10
do anything for the railroads that il
could well avoid doing has prevented
it from considering the effect of wage
increases through Federal arbitra-
tons land now through legislation) IN
fixing freight rates.
The other three recommendations
which Mr.. Wilson renews are thor
oughly sound. The Interstate COM
merce Commission ought to be en-
larged It cannot handle the work
which has been put upon it. II should
have more members and its useful
ness could also be greatly extended
by the creation Of subordinate district
boards
Congress should certainly put an
end at once to the peril of nation
wide strikes The enactment OF a
law. something like Canada's law, for
bidding strikes except after due no
tice and a full Governmental investi
CATION OF the causes OF the dispute. is
a public necessity. Without such a
law satisfactory Federal regulation ot
the railroads will he impossible. The
Government. if it is to make the rail
roads an efficient national agency,
must control all the conditions oe
their operation. The Interstate Com
merce Commission and the President
must have ample power 10 see 10 IL
that interstate traffic is not inter
ruped to the untold injury Of the
public.
Any snti-striko bill will, OF course,
meet the b:tterest opposition of the
railroad brotherhoods and the FEEDER
alton Of Labor. The brotherhoods
have got what they asked Of Con-
gress. They do not want 70 see any
| corresponding concessions made to
the railroads or the community. They
are fighting their own selfish fight,
and they will use all their strength
to delay and defeat action ct this
session on Mr.. Wilson's held-over
recommendations
They have the advantage Of pos
ton. Congress is slothful and COW
ardly. But the issues raised by the
passage of the. Adamson law cannot
be lodged. They will have to be
fought out, if not at this session. then
in the next Congress. II is encour-
aging to know that the President has
now committed himself absolutely u
! the rational extension of the principle
embodied in the Adamson act and Ia
its application in a manner which
d will at once do justice 10 the rail
roads and will safeguard the para
, mount interests of the public.