The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1916-12-05

VuTc Suy luc COuAAcSS WVuAN ASSsNA~~~
to net upon the suggestion should J
make it. that any man in any occupa'
ton should be obliged BY law to con-
tinue in 40 employment which he de-
sired to leave. To pass 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 q new prin.
ciple into our Jurisprudence which
take 1t for granted we are not prepared
to introduce. But the proposal that
the operation Of the railways OF the
country shall not be stopped or inter-
rupted by the concerted action Of or.
ganized bodies of. men until public
investigation shall have been instituted
which shall make the whole question
at issue plain for the judgment Of the
opinion of the nation 10 not to propose
any such principle. It 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
IN 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.
don or arbitration.
! can see nothing in that proposition
but the justifiable safeguarding by so.
ciety Of the necessary processes Of
its very life. There is nothing arbi.
trary or unjust in it unless 1t be arbi-
trari1y and unjustly done. It can and
should be done with full and scrupu.
lous regard for the interests and liber-
ties Of all concerned as well 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 combinations 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 a more thor.
0ugh and systematic Regulation Of the
expenditure Of money In elections, COM
monty, called the Corrupt Practices Act.
I'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
this time not only opportune but neces.
sary. Even delay would seriously
leopard the interests Of the couxnz
and of the government.
z Immediate passage Of the bill to reg.
ulate the expenditure Of money in cleo.
lions may seem to be less necessary
than the immediate enactment ~ the
other measures to- which refer; be.
cause at least two years will. elapse
before another election in which fed.
alioffces re,to be filled but 1t would
4EeAtly relieve the public mind ii this
important matter were dealt with
while the circumstances and the dam
gers to- the public morals OF the pres
ent method Of obtaining and spending
tAhdpdfkd Funds stand tieaf uHdef II III
cent observation and the methods Of
expenditure can be frankly studied In
D, !.