Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-11-20
CUMMINS' RAILWAY BILL
Is FAIR TO ALI

10 rain ~ ALL
The Republican Publicity Associa-
ton, through its president, Hon.
Jonathan Burne, Jr., Monday gave
out the following statement from its
Washington headquarters:
Failure awaits the efforts of the
labor unions to spread the impression
that the anti-strike clause of the
Cummins' railroad bill is an attack
upon the right of employees to quit,
or their right in any other respect.
There is no attck upon the rights of
labor in that portion of the bill.
There has been no attack upon the
rights of labor in any act or possible
act of congress. There has been no
attack upon the rights or just inter-
ests of labor among Republican
leaders. But there has been and will
continue to be an effort to protect
the rights of all the people against
unjust demands of radical labor
leaders now in control of the unions
Organized labor, like organized
capital is one of the results of in
dustrial evolution. Such organiza-
ton, whether of labor or capital, has
been advantageous to the country
in many ways. But the power that
goes with concentration is a constant
temptation to promotion of selfish
interest with disregard of the rights
and interests of the public. For that
reason we have laws curbing the ac-
tivities of capital, and for the same
reason we shall have laws designed
to prevent imposition upon the pub
lie through the power of labor union
Acknowledgement.
Organized capital has wrought
well for American industry II has
developed new methods of produc-
ton; il has reduced costs of pro-
duction by increasing quantity of
production, by Standardization, and
by specialization; ii has created new
markets for American products. thus
increasing the demand for American
labor: it made possible the quick
mobilization of industry for military
purposes when the nation was con-
fronted by the emergencies of war.
Organized labor has also wrought
we'll for American industry. 1t has
fostered legislation for establish
ment of better working conditions
for reduced hours of labor where
hours were excessive, for bettsr san
itary conditions, for limitation of
child labor in the interest of
health, andf or establishment of
more equitable wage scales. Or
ganized labor has been the medium
| through which the interests of the
workmen were presented before le-
| gislative bodies and the campaigns
for needed legislation conducted.
"But not all the commendable
achievements of combinations Of
| capital on the one hand or of COM
binations of labor on the other can
be permitted to stand in the way of
protection of the public welfare
| against either or both. The large
producing concern which adopts I'M
| fair methods to destroy its smaller
competitor has been brought under
| the regulatory power of law through
the administration of the Federal
Trade Commission. Just as sure
ly must the labor union be restrained
from preventing the non-union
workman from taking employment
in any legitimate occupation. Just
as the owners of railroad would
not be permitted to discontinue rail-
road service as a means of getting
higher freight or passenger rates, so
the labor unions must not be per-
mitted to discontinue train service
as a means of forcing payment OF
higher wages. The same rule, based
upon public interest, must govern
in both cases.
"And so on, through the whole
list of evils growing out of power in
cident to concentration. AS the
whole is greater than any of its
part so the rights and welfare of the
whole nation must be superior to the
selfish interests Of any class. In
dustry must proceed on the railroads
in the mines, in the steel mills, and
everywhere else. Obstructionists
will be swept aside and their future
will be determined by their own con-
duct. They will not be permitted
to set up an autocracy of either
capital or labor in this great Repub-
lic."