The producers news., 1919-11-14

gressives - La Fcllette Asks
That Miners Be Assured Of
Rights-Baer and Associates
Win Fight Against Sale Of
Public D0main-Statistics or
Lynching-Sale of Ships Toe
Slow for Vested Interests
League of Nations Labor
Meet Under Way Elaine
(Ark.) Riots Due to Lease
and Store System.
Washington, D. C.-Senator
France of Maryland is rapidly
becoming the Bernard Shaw Of
that body, so cutting are the
pleasantries with which he dis
poses of solemn humbug and
frenzied prejudice.
For example, the senate was
verbally clawing the air the
other day with reference to the
coal miners walkout, then 48
hours off. Pomerene of Ohio
had started the stampede, and
Thomas OF Colorado, Townsend
Of Michigan and others had as
sisted him in hanging, drawing
and quartering the coal miners.
They were proposing their reso-
luton "upholding" the threats
made by the cabinet in the name
of the President, when Senator
Frank broke in.
Il do not WISH" he said, ito
prolong a futile debate on what
appears to ME to be perfectly
useless measure"
Then he read a few kilograms
from labor organizations in the
coal districts of Maryland.
showing it was handful of coal
barons who had started the
whole trouble, and that failure
Of delivery of coal cars had ag-
gravated it by keeping the
coal miners idle for weeks at a
time.
Subverted Government
II do not with ever to do any,
thing which will intensity the
widespreading conviction that
in some way the government
does not represent the people,"
France went on. "We observe
ON every hand evidence of pro-
found unrest, and believe that
it has a deeper underlying cause
for which we are ourselves re-
sponsible. believe it is this:
If l understand the theory of
our government correctly, it is
a government founded upon the
theory that the people are SOW
ereign; that legislation should
arise from the people; that rep
resentatiVes in the legislative
bodies should enact the popular
viii into statutes, and that it is
then the duty of the executive
branch to see that these stat
utes are executed in a broad and
comprehensive manner.
IF that is the theory of the
government, then We mus. all
admit that during the period of
Wa; cur government has been
practically subvertcd. The leg
islation, instead of being enact
ed by the legislators as a result
of a popular mandate, has or
iginated with the executive and
has descended to the legislative,
and by the legislative body it
has been imposed upon the
masses of the people. It is, |
believe, as result of such sub
version of the republic, as
a result, so to speak, of attempt
ing to stand the pyramid upon
its apex, that this profund un-
rest has taken place.
The people feel that the gov
ernnlent is not responsive to
their wishes. The sooner this |
condition is cured, the better I |
shal be satisfied"
L., Follette Defends Miners
Another senator who malred
the plans of the panick-makers
W: La Toilette. He offered an
81 ,oHdment to the Thomas reso-
luton. That resolution men,
tic':e the bituminous coal min
e s strike as the peril which ;
was to be guarded against by !
t'c Governments strong hand.
La Toilette proposed, as an
II ,cndment, THAT we hereby
;::t;;:~n'ye the coal miners that they :
he in like manner pro- !
tested IN the exercise Of all law
i, roca7~s in any effort to Sc
cue their rights"
Townsend of Michigan and
I!tc'ocok Of Nebraska protest
ed. "a Toilette reminded them
t. r. the coal miners had been
s. fically mentioned in the re-
~