Evening star., 1919-11-09
CONGRESS NOW TOGIVE
PUBLIC A SQUARE DEAL
National Lawmakers Declare Organized
Minorities No Longer Can Dictate
Legislation.

alton.
sixth OF the total population Of
100 900, 600
Congress has been swayed for years
by propaganda, and by organizations.
The Anti Saloon League and the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor are examples
of this. The farmers are commencing
to get into the game in the same way
through their National Grange and other
organizations. In this way a relatively
small minority, organized and camped
in Washington. has been exerting an in
fluence on legislation affecting all the
people of the country.
The great mass of the people have
not heretofore been organized-al-
though Champ Clark bore testimony
that they can be-and by getting
quick action before the people gener-
ally had an opportunity to register en-
masse their objection. the organized
minority has been able to impose
much legislation. that the people have
had to endure
Lobbyists Out of a Job.
AS things now stand. the lobbyists
have worked themselves out of job.
The people will not stand for i. :.y
longer. members of Congress realize.
and they also realize that they have
for years been told by some one else
what their constituents wanted rather
than finding it out for themselves.
The members are learning as never
before that there rs no one group in
their district large enough or power
ful enough to say they represented
the will of the constituents in that
district
These human letters from constit-
uents are emphasizing this point with
| respect to the present industrial issue
of the coal strike. The miners are a
branch of organized labor: but many
other branches of organized labor are
already complaining because they see
their own good jobs, and consequently
their bread and butter. in danger on
account of the coal strike. If the mills
cannot get coal they must shut down.
If the railroads cannot get coal they
will cease operation-and that will
cripple other industries upon which
about 100000. 900 people depend for a
living.
Has a New Meaning.
I'VE the people" is coming to mean
| something different from what it did
when Uncle Joe Cannon was Speaker
He recalls that many times each week
! some one would drift into his Office
! saying. I'VE the people want" etc. On
! one such occasion he questioned the
| dapper little strutster who said he rep
resented the people-what district did
he represent, what organization did
he speak for, even from what town he
came-to all Of which the self chosen
spokesman replied in broad, general,
evasive terms that he represented the
people," without local or district
bounds. Jim Watson, who overheard
the conversation. interjected: Uncle
Joe, that's the first time ever heard
that the Constitution made any pro-
vision for the representation Of
tramps."
The congressional confidence in
these few individuals that they rep
resent" the people has been shaken.
There are direct evidences that the
leaven is working on Congress. The
other day Chairman Esch of the COM
mittee drafting the bill to dispose
Of the railroads received a communi-
cation from residents of a small viii
lage in Illinois. who called his at
tention to the fact that they are
part owners" in the railroads.
Into tho railroad hill 10 ho;ne- ryrit.
ten provisions to safeguard the in
terests of the public-as against
strikes, watered stock, etc.
Safeguarding the Public.
Chairman Volstead Of the House
judiciary committee has taken up
with his committee the task of re-
vising the food-control law SO that
it will stand up under the interstate
| commerce act to protect the neces-
stiles of life on the same general
principle as the old common law
provisions against "forestalling."
The bills recently passed by Con-
gress to increase the pay of police
men and firemen in the National Cap
ital carried provisions forbidding af-
| fliation with any organization which
reserved the right to call a strike.
| These were passed by big majority.
which showed the newborn temper
| of Congress to curb the power of or
ganized labor.
The landslide vote for Gov. Coolidge
of Massachusetts was yet another in
dication of the resentment of the peo-
pie against interference with law and
order by the labor leaders.
There is a bill ready to be intro
duced in the House, drafted by Com
missioner c. c.. McChord of the In
terstate Commerce Commission. which
would go very far in safeguarding
the interests of the public against
.. the encroachments of organized labor
and organized profiteers. He pro-
control strikes and to control the
purchase of supplies. such fuel.
steel, etc.
Where Profteering Comes In.
The commission now has power to
SO that they cannot profiteer directly
on the public, but there is no check
on railroad labor and those who
profiteer in supplies sold to the rail-
roads. which run up the costs. These
are the two classes of profiteers who
now pile up the railroad expenses
labor and supplies. With these held