Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1916-12-09

ne ohered Tor more deliberate con-
sideratiOn of them. The fourth rec
concentration l do not deem il neces-
sary to renew. The power of the in
| terState commerce commission to grant
! an increase Of rates on the ground re-
| ferred to is indiSputably clear and a
| recommendation by the congress with
| regard to such a matter might seem TO
| draw in question the scope of the COM
! missions authority or its inclination to
| do justice when there is no reason to
| doubt either.
The other suggestions-the increase
! in the interstate commerce commits
sion's membership and in its facilities
| for performing its manifold duties, the
| provision for full public investigation
and assessment of industrial disputes,
and the grant to the executive of the
| power to control and operate the rail
ways when necessary in time of war
| or other like public necessity now
very earnestly renew.
The necessity for such legislation is
manifest and pressing. Those who have
! intruSted US with the responsibility
and duty of serving and safeguarding
them in such matters would find it
| hard. I believe, to excuse failure 10
act upon these grave matters or any
unnecessary pOstpOnement Of action
upon them.
Not only does the interstate com
merce commission now find il practi-
cally impossible. with IT'S present mem
bership and organization, TO perform
it's great functions promptly and thor
ouChly. but ii is not unlikely that it
NAV presently be found advisable TO
add to its duties still others equally
heavy and exacting. II must first be
perfected as an administrative instru-
! ment.
The country cannot and should not
consent to remain any longer exposed
| to profound Industrial disturbances for
| lack of additional means If arbitra
| ton and Cancellation which the con
gress can easily and promptly supply.
And all will agree that there must be
no doubt as to the power Of the eXecu-
tive to make immediate and uninter-
| runted use of the railroads for the con
centratiOn of the military forces of the
nation wherever they are needed and
whenever they are needed.
This is a program of regulation. pre-
! ventiOn and administrative efficiency
which argues its own case in the mere
statement Of Il. With regard 10 one
of its items, the increase in the eff
cheney Of the interstate commerce com
mission, the house of representatives
has already acted; its action needs
| only the concurrence of the senate.
For Control and Operation.
l would hesitate to recommend, and
| dare say the congress would hesitate
! to act upon the suggestion should l
make it, that any man in any Occupa-
ton should be obliged by law to con-
tinue in an employment which he de-
sired to leave. To pass a law which
forbade or prevented the individual
workman to leave his work before re-
ceiving the approval of society in do
ing so would be to adopt a new prin-
ciple intt our Jurisprudence which /
take it for granted we are not prepared
! o-!ss't'fil A-%;Sut the proposal that
~ now, ~ caif the railways of the
. Sss.i-..,,s ..l1.lIs y be stopped or inter
rupted by the concerted action of or
| ganiZed bodies of men until a public
| investigation shall have been instituted
! which shall make the whole question
at issue plain for the judgment of the
| opinion of the nation is not TO propose
| any such principle. 1t is based upon
the very different principle that the con-
| certed action Of powerful bodies of men
shall not be permitted TO stop the in
! dustrial processes of the nation. at any
rate before the nation shall have had
an opportunity TO acquaint itself with
the merits of the case as between en-
| ployee and employer, time to form its
| opinion upon an impartial statement
of the merits, and opportunity to con-
slider all practicable means of concilia-
ton or arbitration.
l can see nothing in that proposition
but the justifiable safeguarding by So
ciety of the necessary processes of
it's very life. There is nothing arbi
trary or unjust in it unless 1t be arbi
trarily and unjustly done. 1t can and
should be done with full and scrupu
lous regard for the interests and liber
ties of all concerned as we'll as for the
permanent interests of society itself.
Other Legislation Urged.
Three matters of capital Importance
await the action Of the senate which
have already been acted upon by the
house of representatives: the bill
which seeks to extend greater freedom
of combination to those engaged in pro-
noting the foreign commerce of the
country than is now thought by some
to be legal under the terms Of the laws
against monopoly; the bill amending
the present organic law Of Porto Rico;
and the bill proposing more thor
ough and systematic regulation OF the
expenditure Of money In elections, COM
monty called the Corrupt Practices Act.
l need not labor my advice that these
measures be enacted into law. Their
urgency lies in the manifest circum-
stances which render their adoption at