The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-10-17
FOR THE PREVENTION
STRIKES

Hon. Atlex w. Pomerine OF Ohio,
member of the subcommittee Of
the United States senate on inter.
state commerce has prepared AMI
brought in a bill designed TO make
nationwide railroad strikes an impos-
sibility.
/. In presenting the bill Senator Pors
creme said:
In the few months following the
war more than 1000, 600 of our bows.
the flower OF the land, entered the
military service of the country, over
100000 OF them in France along
the battle line and 1000, 600 more
in the camps ready TO be taken to
France when the order was given.
Thsee 100000 boys served thei,
country for a little more than s3NI
per month.
While they were thus serving
their country for $50 a month, the
men who are now threatening the
country with a nationwide strike
were receiving higher wages thar
they had ever received in their lives
and now when the $40 soldier is seek
ing his job, some OF these highly
paid men in the railway service
and kindred branches Of industry
are striking and thereby prevent not
only themselves from earning a good
wage but our soldier and sailor boys
from securing employment in order
10 support themselves and their de
pendents.
1.-THE subcommittee realizes very
fully the gravity OF this legislation,
but they believe that the situation
is such as TO provide against the pos
sible tying up Of the commerce OF
the country, thereby leading perhaps
to evils as bad, If not worse, than the
war through which we have just
passed
1T will be borne in mind that very
recently threats were made that if
certain increases were not granted
there would be nationwide strike
on the railroads and in the shops at
fl7Bted with or connected wi the
maintenance and OPERATION of the
railroads. Should such a strike be
called and the railroad service sus
pended within one week the people
in the centers of population would
he starved and in winter frozen.
AS an American citizen and SEN
ator from a sovereign state, | submit
that this is too great power to be
permitted to lodge with any man or
set of men. II is a power which the
congress of the United States would
not lodge with even the president of
the United States during peace time
and If il cannot be lodged with the
chief executive Of the United States,
who is presumed TO represent the
whole people, it cannot. be it ought
not to be-lOdged with any man of
+set of men who answer only to their
craft regardless Of the consequences
TO the families of that craft or to the
public at large, under any pretext
whatsoever
Il submit that after the congress
shall have provided as it already has,
for processes of mediation and con
citation and arbitration. and as it'll
will, if the pending bill becomes a !.
law provide for investigation and de.
cisiOn by an impartial committee on
wages and working conditions, with
a final decision, by a transportation
board it is impossible to conceive
that the demand of either party to
such a dispute should be of higher
Importance to either disputant than
is the adjustment of such disputes to
the public, which includes both par
ties to the dispute.
1T is the function of government
to govern, and when it fails to gov
ern ii fails in purpose. The welfare
of the whole people is vastly more %
be desired than the advance in wa
ges of a single class and | say this,
believing as | do always. in good wa
GEES When the people as whole
are prosperous the people of the
classes are prosperous. and when we
legislate for all we are legislating for
the benefit OF every individual.
Il know of no sound reasoning
either in politics of in morals, which
Will permit 100000 men to refuse
TO adjust their differences with their