Evening journal., 1917-03-29

issue OF securities and the remaining
duties, such as inspection, detection,
prosecution and correction, safety ap.
pliance requirements. statistics and so
on, should be conferred upon a new
commission with some other name
for instance, a Federal railroad com
mission But in order to coordinate
and harmonize the system of regula-
tion the Interstate Commerce Com
mission should have the right but
should not be required to review any
action of the additional commission.
We also believe that regional com.
missions should be established to as.
sist the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion in exercising its jurisdiction. and
to that end should make all such in
vestigations and hear and determine
all such complaints and perform such
other duties as the higher commission
shall direct. The orders of the regional
commission should not become effec-
tive until approved by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, but should
stand approved as of course unless
excepted to at a time to be limited,
somewhat analogous TO the practice
with respect to Masters in Chancery.
The regions ought TO be created with
reference TO traffic territories rather
than geographically. and there should
be a sufficient number OF them to af-
ford an opportunity to promptly hear
and determine the complaints of every
locality and as near the complaining
locality as practicable. We believe that
all the commissioners should be ap-
pointed by the President, with the
consent of the Senate, for long terms,
and should receive good salaries.
The right of every man to quit
work whenever he wants to cannot be
taken away. but a law can provide
that he shall not conspire with group
of others for the purpose of suspend
ing and paralyzing interstate and ma
tional commerce ! have no doubt that
Congress can frame a law that will
compel railroad managers and en-
ployes to submit their controversies
to some tribunal to inquire into those
cases and do Justice.
II would be easy 20 frame a law
that would protect the rights and well
fare OF the men as well as Of the COM
panies while providing means for the
peaceable settlement OF such contro-
versies. do not advocated compulsory
Of every labor controversy.
believe It would be wise to limit it
to those employments that are vital to
the public at large, and with respect
to railroads I should limit II to dis
putes with men in the train service
lt is plainly the duty of Congress,
a duty that 1t seems to me has been
in an extraordinary man
ner by recent events, TO prohibit
strikes; to perform this duty of a civil
lized state and provide means and
agencies for deciding these contro-
versies in a peaceable manner in jus
tice to everybody, without destroying
the commerce of the country. The
present situation is a menace not
merely to railroads, to railroad credit,
to railroad investors, but to every in
dustry.
Finally, gentlemen, I wish TO say
that the responsibility for the railroad
development of this country, for pro-
viding the necessary transportation
facilities for the rapidly growing popu-
latiOn and commerce Of this country,
no longer rests with the railroad Off
GERS and railroad managers entirely.
We have our share but it rests prim-
arily on Congress. Whenever the Gov
ernment regulates the rates and regu-
lates the financial administration of
and regulates the borrowing
Of money and the issuance of securi-
ties, it relieves the railroad officers
Of the responsibility of providing and
developing transportation systems ex-
cept within the limits of the revenue
that can be realized from such rates
and under such restrictions.