The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-09-03
SENATOR WANTS LAW TO PREVENT
 TRANSIT TIEUPS
Robinson Says Time Has Come to Stop General
 Strikes On Roads
COMMENDS MEASURE
 OF IOWA SENATOR
Desires Legislation Passed Which Will Meet With
 Labor's Approval

Washington, Sept. 3.---A law to pro
 hibit strikes or lockouts of railroad
 employees and thus protect the public
 from transportation tie-Uns was ad-
 vocated by Senator Robinson, Demo crat, Arkansas. in an address yester-
 day in the Senate.
 The time has come" he said,
 when Congress must protect the pub lie against loss of life and property and widespread suffering which will
 inevietably result if the railroads
 should be tied up by a general strike.
 The right to strike has heretofore
 been recognized in our laws, partic- uIarly in certain provisions of the Clayton act Those laws should be modified and strikes of employees on railroads engaged in interstate com merce should be forbidden
 Senator Rombinson's address was in analysis and commendatiOn of the bill by Senator Cummins. Republican, of Iowa, drafted by the Senate inter state commerce sub committee pro posing a permanent railroad policy of private ownership and operation of railroads, under strict government su- pervisiOn, and with a committee on wages and working conditions com posed equally Of employees and em- ployers, whose recommendations would be subject to final decision of the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion.
 i The Cummins bill, according to Sen ator Robinson. who was a member of the drafting subcommittee amply protects the rights of employees, em- | ployers and the public.
 While the right of the laborers to quit employment for any reason is | recognized and preserved Gin the | bilD," said Senator Robinson, com ! lbinatiOns Of agreements to hinder. re i strain or prevent the movement of commodities or persons in interstate | commerce or agreements which have their effect are likewise penalized. 1 The provision by law of a fair tri- | bunaI to settle disputes between rail- roads and their employees is, of course, l a prerequisite in any plan fairly cal lculated to relieve the country from the menace of strikes and lOckouts | that will restrain or prevent inter state commerce. It is indispensable
 to the comfort and life of our people that commerce be continued and no system which leaves commerce sub | ject to the will of individuals can be | justified.
 Tn the interests of the laborers | themselves and more particularly in the interests of the general public. | Congress should deal with this sub | ject comprehensiveIy and courage OuSly.
 Tt is desirable if possible to devise
 a plan that will meet with the ap- ! proval of the laborers and at the same time fairly safeguard the public in ! terest. But it might as well be under stood at the beginning that the ques- | ton is one in which the public inter 1 est is equal to that of the railroads and the Iaborers, if not controlling, and that under our system of govern ment, while no man should be con- pelled to perform involuntary servi- | tude. except as a punishment for crime, and while the full freedom and right of employees. individuals to quit work at will, must be preserved, the i dangers of a general strike or lockout | which would suspend commerce are 50 apparent and far reaching that dis putes likely to result in strikes or | lOckouts on railroads must be deter
 mined in an orderly manner"