The New York herald., 1921-11-21
MONDAY. NOVEMBER 21, 1921.
Beveridge's Straight Talk.

In his address to the Chamber of
Commerce of New York ex-senator
BEvERIDGE handled without gloves the
whole crew of industry wreckers in
the country, whether members of
Congress playing dishonest politics
with economic questions or labor
union bosses arrogantly constituting
themselves, as Mr.. BEvERIDGE vividly
expresses it, the nations invisible
government.
What he said is so true, so gravely
true. carrying so vital a meaning to
American industry and to the very
existence of the nation that it de-
serves wide attention and emphatic
comment. There was enough sub
stance in it to make half a dozen
speeches and to provide texts for as
many editorial articles. It is posi-.
BILE here to deal only with one sub.
ject discussed by him. After ex.
planning how the abuses of the old
time railway manager had brought
Government control upon the roads
Mr.. BEvERIDoE showed how from the
mass Of confused and contradictory
statutory expedients and makeshifts
even worse results had come to the
country than the public had suffered
under the "autocratic attitude Of
railway control from the public be
damned all the way down to petty
Juggling" He then went to the heart
of the present railway problem with
the following:
''The next blow to the nations
transportation system was dealt by
the mailed hand of the leaders of
railway unions. No sooner did the
country end the reign of certain
banded rulers of capital whose ar
rogance, obstinacy and greed began
the trouble than certain banded rul-
ers of labor took their place and set
up a despotism OF threat and force
more destructive than the preceding
rule of graft and corruption.
almost ten years ago denounced
as the invisible government the sway
Of those financial conspirators who
sought TO dominate the nation. That
cabal Of cunning and avarice has
been overthrown. But another in
visible empire has been established,
as evil and dangerous as that Of the
dethroned autocracy of wealth. This
new assailant of ordered liberty and
American institutions Is the close and
closed corporation OF those men who
have made themselves masters of
labor unions
This star chamber Of despotism
DEGREES not only how. when and on
what terms work shall be done. but
also whether any work shall be done
at all 1t denies to men and women
their inalenable right to earn their
livelihood. It violates the eternal
truths announced In the Declaration
of Independence. II sets itself above
the authorities constituted by the
people and houts the peoples courts
OF justice.
1T even issued orders 10 the ma
tlonal Government itself in utter def
ance OF the supreme law Of the land,
the Constitution OF the United States;
and 1t compelled Congress and Presi-
dent 20 carry out its ukases. Patri-
otism. the wellbeing OF all the peo-
pie, the happiness and prosperity OF
those very worklngmen VINO are the
subjects and dupes Of this Industrial
tyranny-every consideration dear TO
free men-imperativeiy demand the
downfall Of this invisible empire.
"organized capital and organized
iaoor aliRe can be made useful 10
all men and helpful 10 the Repub-
lie; but neither shall be permitted TO
oppress any man. woman or child. or
TO govern the American people.
"The methods by which the Adam
son law was forced on the statute
books raised an issue as vital and
basic as that which brought on the
civil war-lndeed, the Adamson law
issue went 70 the very existence OF
government itself.
when ORGANIZATIONS by threat to
strangle the nation, can dictate laws
for their own advantage at the ex-
pense Of all the people, then regular
government by all for the good of All
is annihilated. and in place Of II is
substituted the erratic despotlsm of
particular groups for their special
purposes to the injury Of the country
as a whole.
I'VE have brought upon ourselves
more economic and social perlls than
ever before menaccd the nation at