The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-11-01
Voice Of the People

lily VIII pGBLlS2 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES On
any and all subjects OF interest TO the
people generally. reseving tie right
to reject unworthy articles or those
inspired by personal animosity or
malice. al communications must be
accompanied by the names e the
writer's The Gate City does not -
sumo responsibility for optnions or
sentiments expressed n any COM
municattOn-
Laber's View Of cunsnrine-Eseh eIn.
To the Editor OF The Gate City:
The Cummfns-E sch bill was. passed
after the conference report was made
to the house without proper consid-
GRAFTON by the members of the house.
The bill contains one hundred TWEEN
ty pages OF printed matter and was
passed within forty-e1ght hours after
its publication
The bill protects the interests a
the railroads by granting to them from
March first to September first. SIX per
cent dividends on their issued stock
without requiring any service from
the stockholders
1t permits the railroads to borrow
up to three hundred million dollars
from the United States treasury for
purposes of equipment without re-
quiring that the equipment to be pur-
chased, be specified, or without pro-
tecting the interests of the govern
ment IN the prices to be paid for this
equipment
1t prohibits the interstate commerce
commission from reducing the estab-
Hshed rates of passenger, fares or
freight tariffs and authorizes an in
increase in these rates.
On the power of the railroads to
borrow money from the government
it permits their directors to issue
bonds without prohibiting them from
buying those bonds. Since the pas
sage of the Cummins-Esch bill, bonds
have been issued by many of the rail-
roads and underwritten by banks In
which the directors are interested, at.
seven per cent.
The six per cent paid by the rail-
roads for the money loaned by the
government comes out OF the treasury
Of the railroads from increased char
ges for service The seven per cent
on the bonds goes into the pockets of
the persons holding those bonds, that
is. the directors OF the railroad cor
poration.
On the labor provisions Of the bill,
It sets up a labor board to which the
workers must appeal for changes in
working conditions, submit their griev-
arces. and prove their rights to just
wages. while it makes no provisions
requiring the railroad corporations 10
appeal to anyone in the issuance OF
%hA
satisfied with the decision of the
labor board, it gives to any united
States circuit court jurisdiction IN the
case, thus taking the question OF
wages out of the hands OF private cor
porations and placing it under the 1ur-
isdiction of the United States court
making the employees of private cor
porations subject to penalty by the
United States courts for endeaVorlns
to accomplish something which tney
have a natural right to accomplish N
other industries without interference
of government authority.
The Cummins-Esch bill was not
passed in the interests OF the people
hut was enacted in the interests OF
special privilege. IS
NON-PARTISAN CAMPAIN
COMMITTEE.
/ Trades and Labor Assembly.
Keokuk, Oct. 81. 1920.
Commander Browns Rejoinder.
To the Editor Of The Gate iCty:
I After reading the article. Com
mander Brown Rebuked," presume
am in a position to say with the
vaitress who served Senator Ham
lewis. Il have been rebuked by an
expert" The only thing in the artl-
Gle I wish to criticize is the WORD
"intimated." never intimate any
thing Intentionally. / try to say what
+ have to say In plain language ana
If write anything l endeavor 10 make
If clear and then sign my name 70 II
! II IS nv official duty to hand the
ranar ar times certain articles which
are Of public interest. The resoiu-
t;ons of a society such as the Colo
star league, whose duties are payaDie
in advance and consist of the lie .oi
a child of the applicant given IN the
service of his country, are always mat
ters of great public interest. When
7 have verified them as correct tnen
II is my duty to give them TO tne
nublic who are at liberty to reach
their own conclusions. They are
given for public information only.
Any member of the legion mas a
right to state his grievances on the
foor of the legion at any meeting;
The authority is given by the usuai
majority rule. This privilege VIII
not hold at the next meeting as tnat
e. IN he a feed" and good soldier
never allows a good meal to be spoiled
bv an argument. At the regular
meeting it will be taken up in due
form.
While I remain commander OF the
most / will consider it an honor 10
give voice to the official sentiments OF
the Cold Star fathers and mothers and
will give to the public articles 81
public interest, whether l agree Win
them personally or not.
w. FRANK BROWN.
Commander Keokuk Post No.4l.
Keokuk, Nov. 1, 1920.
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