Evening journal., 1921-01-03
Uncle Ted's Bedtime Stories
SQUARE DEAL FOR THE PUBLIC

"But Nettie's father says it is just
the same as slavery" exclaimed
Ruth. in the midst OF a dispute with
her brother Jack, "and l don't like
anything that is like slavery
well, / know il isn't anything OF
the kind, for | read in the paper a
report Of speech by man in Con-
gress who said that II that law Is
passed, any man can quit his job
any time he wants TO-" replied Jack.
Whats up, what's up2" inquired
Uncle Ted, from his easy chair, where
he had been reading the evening
paper while the children were pre-
pairing their contribution to the Cur
rent Events" recitation for the next
day at school.
"lts just this way" explained
Jack: when the teacher asks for
current events in school tomorrow
Ruth Is going TO tell about the bill
that has been passed by the Senate
at Washington making IL against the
law for railroad men 10 strike. She
stopped at Nettie Smiths on her way
home from school today and she
heard Nettie's father talking about
IL aud he said that II the House Of
Representatives passes the bill too,
and the President signs 10, the rail-
road men will be bound TO some kind
OF servitude that she doesn't remem-
Der except that II would be just like
slavery, and she Is going TO tell the
teacher that / think she is wrong"
Involuntary servitude' is prob
ably what Mr.. Smith said" replied
Uncle Ted "That Is the expression
used in the amendment tO the con-
stltution which abolished slavery af-
ter the Civil War. The constitutional
amendment provides that Neither
slavery nor Involuntary servithde, ex-
cept as a punishment for crime,
whereof the party shall have been
convicted. shall exist within the
United States, OF any place subject
TO their jurisdiction That is per-
fectly plain. II Congress should pass
law and the President should sign
IL. establishing any form Of invOluD-
tary servtude the courts would GER
tainly declare IL null and void and no
man could be held under it.
But let me tell you few things
about the anti-strike bill, which Ruth
Is TO tell the teacher about tomor-
row and / want particularly TO tell
you about the involuntary servitude'
part Of IL.
in the first place. this bill applies
only 10 the railroads engaged In inter
state transportatiOn-tha is, carry
ing freight and passengers from one
State TO another. Congress has no
power to enact laws affecting rail-
roads doing business only within the
borders Of q single State, and, on
the other hand. Congress is given
jurisdiction by the constitution over
commerce between the States. Years
and years ago. when the railroads
were short and when every com
immunity produced what it needed for
It's existence, Il wouldn't have made
much difference II a lot Of men got
together and made an agreement
which would result in the trains not
running. The country would have
felt little inconvenience, but II
could have gotten along some way.
But IL is very different now All OF
the large cities depend absolutely on
the railroads for their daily food.
MIX is carried hundreds Of miles on
trains from rural districts TO the
cities and II these trains did not run
regularly, children would be without
fresh milk and there would be lots
of suffering and death. II the trains
were stopped, the food and fuel on
ldlu III iiit tllllN W0uin lNN lNNi
much more than a week. Hundreds
OF thousands Of people who work in
the cities live out In suburban towns
and II the trains were TO stop run
ming they could not get TO their
work.
"That shows the absolute necessity
OF keeping the trains running regu-
larly. Now, as to the involun-
tary servitude matter-let me re-
mind you that no man Is required ia
20 10 work for the railroads. He
does so voluntarily. lie asks for the
lob before he gets IL. SO there Is
nothing involuntary in the manner
in which ne enters the 'servitude;
'Now there are two things that
would prevent a man being held In
that employment against his will
one is the article OF the constitution
which quoted 30 you, and the other
is a provision In the anti-srike biil
which ! will read TO you. ] sent Ia