The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-09-10
Senator Underwood Urges Leg
islation Against Strikes
and Lockouts
AMERICANS ADOPTING
EUROPEAN METHODS
Senator Williams Says Threat
of General Strike is No Less
Than Treason

Than Treason
Washington, Sept. 4.-Means Oh
preventing strikes of railroad en-
ployees were discussed today in the
senate. with Senator Rorah, Repupl1-
can, of Idaho, challenging the power
of congress to prohibit strikes or lock-
outs as proposed in the Cummins rail-
road reorganization bill.
Senator Underwood, Democrat. OF
Alabama, opened the debate by urG-
ing the establishment of q govern
mental commission with powers to
fix both wages and transportation
rates. He did not discuss directly the
plan in the Cumnlins measure relat-
ing to strikes but said the men would
not strike against the just decisions
of the government"
Only under proof that the strikes
were for the purpose of impeding in
terstate commerce could congress
force arbitration or make strikes
criminally illegal, Senator Borah said,
adding that such a purpose would be
difficult to prove. He doubted that
congress could do more than foster
agreements between. employees ane
EN- Eaployers unless it should become
necessary to see that labor had
larger and more direct interest in
the enterprise in which it was engag-
ed.
Senator Williams, Democrat, OF
Mississippi, declared American labor
was comm gto European methods of
strikes, adding that he had seen it
stated that general strikes would be
called to force passage of the Plumb
plan bill for railroad reorganization:
Such a project would be no less than
treason, he declared.
Characterizing the joint commission
proposed in the Cummins bill to con-
troll railroad wages and working con-
ditions as IAN industrial league Of
nations to keep the peace of the in
dustrial world.'"' the Mississippi sena-
tor said congress was not seeking to
prevent men from quitting work for
good reason, but Ito prevent their
gigantic conspiracies.''
Without disclosing whether he fa-
vored the interstate commerce COM
mission as the proposed tribunal or
discussing the Cummins bill plan to
prohibit strikes and 1ockoutS, Senator
Underwood said the interests Of the
public, of capital and of railroad en-
ployees require such plan. 1t is
clearly within the right Of congress,
he declared, to, create an agency to
determine wages. as we'll as rates.
''Men will not strike" said the Ala
bama senator. against the just deci-
'sions of the government. After fair
determination of the controversy by
an impartial tribunal. public sentl-
'ment will force the contending par
ties to accept the verdict rendered
as final. 1t must be done in the in
terest of the men involved. the in
dustry of the people and the peace
of the nation
The tribunal he proposed, Senator
Underwood continued, must have
the authority and power to protect
the rights of the whole people
against the recurrence of strikes and
tation. he said, affects the whole pub
lie and therefore railroad employees
owe obligations in their action differ
ent from those in private industry.
There is but one way out. in my
Judgment" he continued. land that
is to appoint a tribunal with the pow
er to adjust these matters, which has
hn
tunity to know the facts. Such trIb-
-unaf must not only have the power
and be prepared to do what is right
and just by the labor employed on the
railroads, but must have authority
and power to see that property is not
corfiscated by its decisions. For,
should you confscate tho property OF
the transportation companies you
would break down the channels OF
transportation, break them Gown III
a strike with the resultant injury TO
the people. A tribunal of this klnd
must also have the authority and op-
portunity to consider the rights OF the
shippers and travellers who in the
last analysis will bear any increased
burden that falls on the carriage OF
property or persons over the trans
por:ation lines.
''If you want a final and just solu-
ton of such a controversy you are
practically driven to leaving the de-
cision to a governmental commission
that has full and ample opportunity to
the rates OF wages. the
earning oower of the transportation
companies. the cost of living, the bur
den that rests on the shipping public,
and to determine: First. what is
fair. just and living wage for the
men; second. how far this charge can
be placed on the capital of the cor
poration without breaking it down,
destroying the value of its securities,
its property and taking
away from the investing polio fair
return for capital invested: third.
how far an increased charge for Ia
Dor. interest or supplies can be
handed down to the public without
doing injustice to the shipper and
joo