Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-10-26
MAGMA cHARIA FOR LasoR

NAOSg bIuuO1ASD AL0 AeAuuAAAI WlIu tu0
Magma Charta Of human rights ex-
acted by the barons at Runnemede
when the expressions OF King John
had become unbearable. Up to that
time the king had been the supreme
ruler in Britain. His will was the
law. The Magma Charta was q con-
stitutional Limitation upon the pre-
rogative Of the king. It was q recog-
milton Of the fact that others than the
king had rights which must be re-
spected II the people were going to
enjoy life and peace. It provided that
henceforth the law Of the land was to
take tho place OF the will OF the
monarch.
The essential element In this char
ter OF human rights was system
Of courts In which differences be-
tween the king and the people and
between the people themselves should
be investigated tudicially and fairly
and their respective rights indicated
and enforced in accordance with the
law and the evidence. This law and
these courts of justice superseded the
will Of the king and the law OF force
and might in the adjudication OF diff
ferences between man and man.
The constitution under which we
live Is an elaboration OF this English
Magma Charta which was signed and
sealed June 15, 1915. All our peopre
who have reached the age when their
reasoning faculties are capable Of in
telligent consideration Of these sub
jects know that the wonderful devel-
opment OF civilization since the date,
Of this first Magma Charta Of modern
times Is based upon this principle
Of Judicial determination Of human
rights. In a land where law and
order prevail there II peace, prosper
ity, opportunity and plenty. The mo-
ment we substitute force instead OF
law and justice we begin to revert to
primal savagery.
Along in the seventies the first
unions were organised among rail-
way workers. In those days labor
was oppressed. Laborers had rights
which were not respected. Il was the
old story OF King John capital ana
baron laborers. In the long struggle
Of labor to organize and federate AL
bert b. Cummins has been q friend
and supporter of workers. It was
Cummins who inserted in the inter-
state commerce law q statement that
labor is not commodity" Now
Cummins, In the law which bears his
name, has furnished America with a
new Magma Charta. It Is q bill OF
rights for labor and capital engaged
In transportation service. It creates
q labor capital court Of justice to
take the place Of ruthless force in the
settlement OF differences. It applies
to this business the same SOUND and
fundamental principles which under
lie our state and federal governments.
Who Is benefited when the people
OF a state supplant brutal force with
law, order and justice? Absolutely
everybody. VINO will be benefited II
the people Of America decide that the
time has come to apply just prin-
ciples of government to the settle
ment Of disputes between labor and
capital7 Absolutely everybody, in
GLIDING those who labor, those who
are investors of their stored up cap
ital in transportation and the hundred
million people who are dependent
upon but not directly interested in
the business Of transportation.
Radical elements among laborers,
headed by Gompers OF the American
Federation Of Labor, want to defeat
Cummins for reelection to the SEN
ate because he stands for law and
order and the judicial settlement Of
differences between capital and LABOR
in transportation. Gompers wants
THIS great Magma Charta Of tho
transportation industry repealed. He
is baron in the labor world who
wants to retain the ancient weapon
OF force with which to coerce both
investors and the p ,blic. Cummins
stands In this controversy as the en-
bodiment OF Justice. He should be
supported by railway workers and all
others who believe law and order and
Justice are better instruments for the
settlement Of Industrial differences
than the bludgeon Of force.
r ri r.