The Coconino sun., 1916-10-27

men SCruCh. WlHter was dpprOAcnlng, and fell disaster threatened all the Eastern half of our country. The representatives of the mine owners in response to my request insisted that there was nothing to arbitrate; and through their counsel also con sisted that l had no power under the constitution to act, and that the public could not interfere through the re- presentatives of the public with the way in which they managed their business. I took the opposite view. I held that where the public necessity was National and imperative, it be- came the duty of the chief of the na- tion to act. l held that in any such gigantic controversy between labor and capital as to threaten the welfare of the nation, there were three par ties in interest, viz: the capitalists, the workingmen, and finally the peo- pie as a whole; and that where the public need was vital, that need must control. l specifically took the view that before final action was taken on the points at issue, we must have full information, given to the public and the representatives of the public by an unbiased body after a thorough study of the situation; that the power of the Government must be used to make effective the findings of this body, and that, pending it's finding, the work of mining must go on, be- cause the public need so demanded; and that therefore I would use the entire power of the nation to see that the work went on, that there was an arbitration by dispossionate experts, and that the conclusions of this arbi- tration were accepted. When the mine owners, backed by the most powerful financial interests in New York, refused to arbitrate, proceed ed to appoint an arbitration commits sion without regard to them, and secured the assent of political op- ponent, MT. Cleveland, an ex-president of the United States, to serve as head of that commission. saw the Lieu tenant General of the Army, and ar ranged with him that, if necessary, would put an army in possession of the mines, and to see that neither side interfered with the running. Forum ately, when it became evident that would put my program thorugh at nc matter what hazard or difficulty, the hazards and difficulties both vanished and I was able to secure an agree. ment for arbitration and for the re. turn of the men to work pending tho result of the arbitration.
 I believe in labor unions. But be, lieve first and foremost in liberty ant justice obtained through the Union tc which all of us belong, the union oi all the people of the United States I believe in the eight-hour day as thu general rule toward which we mus strive; but I recognize that specia needs must be met in special indus tries; and that in all such cases ther, must be very careful consideration o. all the conditions before final actior lis taken. In this case, however, thu eight-hour day is not an issue. Tn, issue is an incease of wages, givel by law, without previous investiga ton or knowledge. The principle O the eight-hour day is not an issue, ant is adroitly invoked merely to cloal the real issue.
 Eight hours may be the outsid limit of proper work time in MT Ford's factory, where the man is al the time working at just one thini intensively, and without vacation; bu eight hours that includes periods O doing nothing but sit around, and als change of occupation, may not b long enough. Moreover, there ar occupations of intermittent activit, where to limit the total time on dut. in any one day to eight hours woul
 be an absurdity; ard there are other where excessive activity on one da
 is compensated for by complete leis ure on the following day.
 When any labor trouble becomes o such size as to involve the public, tn public has a right to interfere, to in sist that there shall be no interference
 with the welfare and safety of tn
 public, and therefore to insist on arbi tration, that is, for just decision b
 the Government, after an investiga ton conducted through commissio . which will get all the facts and la them before the Executive and Legis
 lative representatives of the publi for what action they deem necessary These were the principles which b actual deed, when was President, upheld in the teeth of violent opposi tion from the most powerful corpora | Il- q L