The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1917-03-23
on what worked underneath Il al,

The brotherhoods may well exult.
They have won a complete vicotry.
They won 1t from the administrative
branch Of the American government,
finally from the railroad managers
themselves, and now at the last and
fclinching moment from the supreme
court OF the United States. We are
not going hungry. The country is
no longer imperiled through posi-
BILE tie-up OF its vital transportation
facilities on the eve of war. Individ.
uaI suffering no longer looms immt
nent Industry is not shut down, pay
rolls will be signed and disbursed req
ularly. Everything will go on about
as It has been going. Which, after
ALL was what the most Of us wanted
out OF 1t.
Through it all one vital, impressive
and startling fact stood out, however.
and now that the fact has been dem
onstrated by its own success as an
Finstrumnt OF coercion, we may well
take a little stock as to what the flu
ture holds for US as a people, as
nation, as q political entity in con-
tinual state of flux. We have been
raw In the making ever since York
town, but little more has ever been
achieved for US in certain definite d.
rection than what has resulted from
this railroad situation. The fact OUT
standing is that 100000 skilled work
ers in public utility have the power
OF life and death over w ALL that
they have the country by the throat
and that they do not scruple to use
that power utterly regardless OF what
the national, composite needs and
exlgencles may happen to be in the
face of their own personal and pure
ly selfish aims.
This cannot BIO tolerated. Not for
long can we allow to exist any class
organization, be they railroad man.
ayers. money handlers, tillers OF the
soil, brokers OF staple products. work
ers with their heads, their hands, or
both, to hold above the head OF the
American government a club heavy
enough and quick enough to swing
so on It's threat the government must
abjectly surrender. For that IL just
what the president did, just what
congress did, some months ago, when
under the certainty that in few
hours the trains would stop they
jammed through the panicky, tempo
rising and humiliating Adamson law.
The possibility of a railroad strike
must be obviated In this country and
the necessary provision to eliminate
II put into effect with the least pos
sible delay.
The supreme court decision up
holding the Adamson law can only
30 construed, regardless os what
technical points may be raised ON
which to base It, as the uncqIivocal
endorsement of the supreme law Ger.
ltifying tribunal of the republic of any
legislation the federal congress may
enact looking to the regulation and
control of public utility corporations
which doing an Interstate business
are responsible In their efficiency and
continuity OF operation for the wei.
fare and comfort of the public gen.
orally. II gave congress what really
amounts to police powers in such
disputes. the right to fix wages. to
fix working conditions, In giving con.
gress this power the supreme court
opens the way in putting the inter.
state public utility business of the
nation on workable and safe basis,
at least from the viewpoint of all the
rest of US who neither work for rail-
| roads or own stock in them.
AS ii has given the Interstate com
merce commission control of the rev
enues of railroads through its abso
EM,e ratemakins power. so the Amer
lean congress can give that tribunal
the wage and hour fixing power 70,
employees, 1t has not only the right
to do il under this latest decision