The Washington times., 1918-06-30

"ANAA HAC"S N1pECSStl senator Ouul-
minis Of Iowa. that while the thirteenth
amendment prohibits involuntary servi-
tude. 1t may be evaded By first provid-
ing for an enrolment or registration as
II for, military draft and then assigning
to labor those who seek exemption, or
have exemption provided for them. as in
the case OF the colored field hands" of
the South, who. by this plan. are kept
undisturbed in the cotton fields. where
their labor is immensely profitable at
present
In the House, before It adopted the
conference report on the sundry civil
appropriation bill, Mr.. Shirley, chair
man OF the House Appropriations
Committee. explained an appropria-
tion which he said ooked to drastic
action" by the Administration for the
control Of labor. He had always con-
tended that business as usual" was
impossible during the war. because
our facilities are not adequate both
for business as usual and war bust
ness. Hence it was proposed to for
bid business corporations and firms
hot engaged in war work to compete
for labor and to "standardize" wages
so that this would be prevented
Asked II It was the purpose to
'standardize" wages in private in
dustries, Mr.. Shirley said he thought
it would be done so that private en-
ployers would not pay more th6n the
Government For the Republican
side, Mr.. Gillett said that this was
a most far-reaching purpose, which,
If carried out Under the Labor Indus
tries Board, meant putting practical
ly all labor under its control. He
was not blind to the political posi-
bilities of such a plan. the great diff
fculty in which was not in providing
means OF employment for labor but
in the Standardization of wages"
AS he did not wish to obstruct the !
passage OF so urgent a measure as |
the sundry civil appropriation bill. he !
waived further discussion. and the |
report was adopted 1t remains to, be |
added that it authorizes no such plan |
as was discussed. The "standardiza-
ton" it proposes can be applied law
fully under it only to the wages or
salaries OF Government employees, but
lawful application and application |
by implication have been very wide
ly separated. so that when extra
lawful and extra-constitutional ac-
tion has been taken frst, Congress
may be called on later to authorize
something which is being done al
ready without authority.
In order TO win the war, IL is not |
necessary TO nullify the civil war
amendments so that this issue will
paramount Immediately after the
close OF the war. Tacit consent to
the notification Of the fifteenth
amendment since 1876, and more
especially since 1892. does not imply
that il would be either wise or safe
for the Southern States. now in ad-
to force an issue from
the thirteenth amendment, which
prohibits peonage, on the fourteenth,
which provides for the reduction of
their power Of control over the
Union TO the measure in which they
permit the free exercise OF the bal
lot. No Southerner who loves his
can think without grief OF what it
means 10 renew the issues here in
yolved and force them 10 crisis. But
the transcription OF labor" means
this and nothing less-regardIess Of
any subterfuge under which it is
pracuced-
The army bill as il passed the
contained little out Of placel
in such bill 1t provided for the
use Of something over twelve thou
sand million dollars for war pur-
poses, and kept out everything not
necessary for the war. The Senate
loaded il down with riders" OF all
kinds, some few of which may be
necessary, and a few others useful
enough to stand the test of full ex-
and debate. But 1t is Ger
tain that others were added because,
under pressure in getting through
the great supply bills as fast as. pos
sIbIe, they might slip through when
there was no other possible chance
Of passing them.
After passing the army bill, de-
syed only by these riders, the SEN
ate passed almost Immediately and
with no other discussion than neces-
sary to explain its totals, the great
bill. which, as It came
rom the House carried IS. $50 900 900 /
n appropriations and authorizations.
The Senate added only ST. 900
Nearly the whole of these great
sums is for cannon and ammuni-
lion to be used in Europe. The to-
.al is a round five and q half bill
ions, while there is nearly four
billions more appropriated in the
,undry civil bill. chiefly for ships TO
transport men and supplies to Eu-
rope. As the new bond bill, carry
ng eight billions, came over from
he House and was approved by the
senate Finance Committee for action
II was certainly another