New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-01-02
ANTI-STRIKE CLAUSE
INSURES JUSTICE TO LABOR
,pecial to State Record.


Washington, Jan. l.-During debate
on the Railroad Bill, Senator Albert
B. Cummins, Chairman of the Inter
state Commerce Committee, set forth
briefly his reasons for advocating
that portion of the bill which provid-
es a tribunal for the settlement of
wage disputes and makes it unlaw-
full for two or more railroad en-
ployees to conspire to interfere with
transpor tation OF persons or commo-
dities in interstate commerce. Brief
iy summarized, this portion of the
address was as follows:
Il venture to say that no provisioD
in any bill submitted to Congress in
recent years has been more generally
discussed than the one to which |
have just referred. | look upon it as
a vital part not only OF this bill but
vital part of our policy in the flu
ture so far as the basic industries OF
America are concerned. | speak for
substantially every member of the
committee, very large majority of
the committee, when | say that it is
our profound conviction that the
civilization of America was about
10 say the civilization of thc.world--
can not continue, can not endure un-
less organized society can find some
plan to preserve industrial peace and
order
"It is said that this provision OF
the bill contravenes the natural rights
of man, and is therefore unconstitu-
tional. 1t is very common thing to
hear it said that this manacles the
workingman, puts shackles upon his
limbs, and reduces him to involuntary
servitude. Nothing could be more
wicked than an assertion of that
character. This bill does not prevent,
interfere with, or embarras any man
who desires to leave his employmen
He can quit, or hundred of them
or a thousand of them can quit when
ever they desire so to do. But | am
not willing to allow the statement
to go unchallenged that it is fun
damental and a constitutional right
that every man can enjoy to quit his
employment whenever he pleases.
That is not true.
This bill does not interfere with
his right at all; but a soldier can not
quit whenever he desires. An en-
gineer upon a railway train can not
quit whenever he may desire to quit.
He can not leave his engine and his
ain so that human life would be
mperiled, or SO that property, even,
might be injured A physician OF
surgeon can not quit his employment
whenever he may desire to quit, Ell
ther morally or legally. He can not
leave a dangerous operation half per-
formed because it is his pleasure no
longer to continue the work OF his
profession.
What right have !, who may be-
lieve | have a just claim against you,
to enter into conspiracy with some
other man or men to deprive you OF
the necessaries Of life until yor yield
to the demand which | have made
upon you? A course of that kind
can not be defended in any court OF
civilization and progress.
Mark you, ! do not believe that
the right of strike should be taken
away from the employees without
substituting something better in its
stead. So long as it is a mere con-
flict between the employees and the
employer, would permit, of course,
as this bill permits, strike. II is
only when the conflict becomes des-
tructive of society, of the welfare OF
the great body of the people, that
this bill proposes to intervene and
make it impossible.
Remembering that we have provid-
ed a just, fair, and impartial tribunal
for adjudication of all controversial
of the character / have described,
hope that this thought will be in
every mind-that we are substituting
the justice of the Government for
the justice which wage workers have
hoped to secure through the str,
We are offering to do Just what our
courts of justice have done for CEN
turies with respect to controversies
between man and man. Hitherto we
have not regarded as necessary that
our Government should undertake the
adjudication which is here provided
for, and ! have been very reluctant
to go forward to that duty. But
perceive that il is necessary, if we
are to have continuity of employ
ment. | believe that the laboring men
of American will be m ore apt to Sc.
cure Justice or approach perfect JUS
tice through the Intervention of these
tribunals than they have ever been