Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1921-01-14
THREE SMILING srNkrccs
aPUT ONEP p ANTIST RIKE
LAW WITHOUT ROLL call
By Charles III. Kelley.

peen the callous Indifference II Tho
Roman emperor who fage@sd bis I'd.
die while Rome was burning - e.
son Of his detachment nero has bee
ccoraed rather neMiaelt p.ae
historical annals
Bus the iustre u his fam % =
fanny has been dimmed The sen =
OF the United States has usH ped nj
distinction and when VIII
ters of songs and stories are aastins
about for Instances Of serene aud al.
culated disregard Of the common vel
they will employ that astutc body for
the purpose of comparison.
This nation Is not being con uned
by c0nfagration, but II Is disturbed
by social and economic conditions
that are electric with grave potent'ali-
ties. More than half OF the popula-
iIon is earnestly elamoring for some
action by congress that viii moder-
ate burdens that have assumed crush
ing proportions The other half Is
scarcely less mportnnate In its de-
mands that something be done 10 cor
rect Embellishments resulting ( or
the upsettiag effect of the war.
Everything seems 10 be wrong. and
II il supposed To be the reg pnn7ibilitV
of congress TO intelllgently study the
situation and offer remedies that will
modify. II moi remove. those adverse
conditions thai threaten our industrial
and economic foundations. II they con
tain no moro serious Implications.
And what docs the senate offer in
the way of emollients?
1T, Il. l.
so drastic in it's provisions that pro
fessional haters of labor are appalled,
and unwilling to give 1t their APPROX
al II then passes measure that IL
censes railroad arrangements to graft
at the expense of the public.
The inadequaey and malevolenee of
these measures are readily apparent
bur the manner In which they were
passed more clearly proves the utter
incapacity of our highest Legislative
chamber to give thought or consider
alton to the sorry plight of the PEG.
pie.
The anti-strike bill was approved by
the senate when only three members
were present-three devoted servitors
OF privilege and enemies of the people
Senators Smoot PoindeNter and
King There was no discussion of
the provisions of the bill. There was
not a roll call Just three saturnine
senator's. smiling knowingly and In
apparent relish of the turn of affairs,
knew what was happening. and they
also knew that il was happening Just
as they had il worked ont
The poindexter anti.strike bill IS
the final word in bitter hostility TO
the workers. II shackles them t0
their Jobs. II takes from them their
only method of redressing wrongs. u
subjects them completely TO the will
of autocracy II takes from them
every right that the workers have
gained in centuries of bitter struggle.
To act in concert involves them In
conspiracy, the punishment for which
is $4,000 fine or ten years in peni-
Tertiary. That Is a. simple but not
exaggerated summary Of the law.
It's provisions are SO carefully
drawn that. II enfohced, 1t would de-
stroy all organizations of railroad
workers. That 1t Is intended to do
Then. without representation. with
out the solidarity essential TO effect
i've bargaining, without the right or
the opportunity to protest, two mil
lion railroad men would be reduced to
a state of slavery. They would re.
vert TO conditions that have their coun-
terpart only In the days of feudalism,
That Ia what the senate has to offer
when the nation demands construct
I've legislation TO correct unsatisfac.
tory conditions
Ninety-three senator's, when this
monstrous measure was being APP
proved, we're elsewhere than in the
senate chamber. Three of them pi-
loted the bin through devious legis-
lative channels. One who would have
protested was prevented from doing
so because the three conspirators eley-
erly diverted his attention and pre-
vented him from knowing what was
on foot.
Here is bin that is capable OF in.
finite mischief. II Is an invasion of
the rights of the people, II is re-
versal of the fundamental principles
of our government II carries nor
malcy" back to the middle ages II
ia an effort not to secure peace and
harmony. but fomenter of bitterness
and strife, 1t is by all odds one of
the most dangerous bills that has
gained the approval of any branch OF
congress. and II was rushed through
with a fiippant and defiant disregard
of the rights of the public that makes
the Roman emperor's musical reveries
seem in comparison brow-wrinkling
solicitude for his subjects.
While this drastic. revolutionary
measure was being eased through the
senate all but three members were
RECALLING themselves with small talk
and nut sundaes in the senate restau
rant. They were enjoying this popu-
lar form of advertisement when an
other vicious drive was made against
the public welfare. Without debate,
without word of protest and without
roll call. both branches OF congress
approved a resolution suspending a
section of the Clayton antitrust act
that seeks to compel managers of
railroads to be decent and honest. I'm
less the president interyenes with