The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-11-13
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL

tai hydrophobia whenever they dwelt
upon the subject Of monarchies, there
has been joyous acclaim of Albert,
King of Belgians, and his royal
queen and SON Speaker Gillett intro
duced the visitor to the House of Rep
resentatives as "a kingly man, ana
a manly king" AS such the Ameri-
can republic, and all the world, has
accepted the Belgium ruler; and even
though ne is king he has been wei
coined into the holy of holies of
democracy"
Another day in history which shows
the changeability of humanity has
been set aside for honoring the mem
ory of Theodore Roosevelt, who born
of the purple of democracy was as
much "a kingly man" as ever ruled
by the consent of the governed" But
Theodore Roosevelt, it must be re-
membered never worked the soft
pedal, and in his lifetime he created
about as much antagonism about
! Washington as any man who ever
crossed the line Of the District of Co
lumbia
The two foregoing illustrations are
used for the purpose of showing how
free the capital and the country as a
whole, is, to express its appreciation
of the King of Belgium; and the for
mer president of the United States,
who now that he has departed from
this life. is beloved by the whole peo-
pie.
The president appears to have
pulled off the lid disclosing the fact
by a referendum to the individuals
who are to strike and indeed it ap
pears that most of the strikes that are
disturbing the peace and comfort of
the nation have been engineered by
committee. at hand-picked conven-
tions that are autocratic in the ex-
treme. Even the American Federal ton
Of Labor, which has a very happy hab-
it Of telling just what its great pow
ers amount to, seems to revolve a
large part of its activities around a
committee board at headquarters in
Washington. However there is a dis,
position to pass considerable credit to
Mr. Gompers since it is felt that he
to avert extreme radicalism throughout
the country.
The disturbances in the coal indus
try emphasize the fact that in indus
trial disputes involving the necessarics
of life the public interest transcends
all others. The bolt of the labor group
from the Industrial Conference, and
the calling of strikes cannot be con
strued in any other light than as a
confession that brute force is pre-.
ferred to intelligence in the settlement
of the great labor problem. With
the railroad brotherhoods threatening
ready at it, and a tie-up in the coal
industry menacing factory and family
furnaces, the fights between employ.
ers and employees are no longer to
be considered private affairs in which
the outsiders have no license to take
hand. The majority of the people
of the country are made up Of limo
cent bystanders who feel that they
have had about enough of the tom.
foolery that has been resposible for
social unrest and the weakening of
the power of organized free govern.
ment which was initiated when the
people of the United States formed
themselves into one union, and in de
claring their purposes stated in the
preamble of the constitution, that Eve,
the people of the United States, in
order to form more perfect union,
establish justice, and insure domestic
! tranquility, provide for the common
defense, promote the general welfare,
and secure the blessings Of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity, do ordain
and establish this constitution for the
United States of America
Domestic tranquility" is of as vital
importance in 1919 as it was at the
time of the adoption of the constitu-
tion in 1889, and If industrial confer
ences cannot suggest a tranquil mid
dleground of progress for the carrying
on Of industry of the country, then all
must agree that it is time for the
government itself to take firm hand
in the peoples business and that
business cannot be any better stated
today than it was in the framing of
the preamble of the constitution of the
United States
Doubtless the majestic public"
would like very much to have the
country get back to normal conditions,
but the delays in restoring peace-time
stability has prompted the president to
say that "it is time for plain speaking"
In view of the attempts to bring on
more strikes the president says
"These matters with which we now
deal touch not only the welfare Of a
class, but vitality concern the well be-
ing, the comfort, the very life of all
people," An the Secretary OF War has
communicated with the governor of
every state, authorizing him to Gu u up
on the nearest division commander OF