The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1922-08-03
GOVERNMENT WILL
PROTECT PEOPLE

The wisdom of the trainers of the
Transportation Act of 1920 has never
been more apparent than in the pres
ent railroad situation. The whole
, purpose Of the act was to serve the
, public welfare, and it is so stated
several times therein. Machinery, in
the shape of the Railroad Labor
Board, was constituted to hear and
determine controversies relating to
wages and conditions of employment
Of rail workers. It was hoped that
the Board, through it's decisions,
would be able to avert any Interrupt
ton to traffic caused by dissatisfied
employees, but, in the event that
transportation should be disorganized
in spite of the efforts of the Board,
the trainers of the law clothed the
Interstate Commerce Commission
with full and complete authority to
take control of any situation that
might develop and administer the
railroad system of the country in the
interests Of the people. The clauses
comforting that authority are broad
enough to cover any emergency that
is likely to be met. In brief, they are
as follows:
"Whenever the Commission is Of
opinion that shortage Of equipment,
congestion Of traffic, or other emer-
gency requiring immediate action ex-
lists in any section Of the country, the
Commission shall have, and it is here
by given, authority Is to suspend
the operation Of any or all rules Is * X
with respect to car service =; to
make such just and reasonable direc-
lions with respect to car service With
out regard to the ownership, as be-
tween carriers of locomotives, cars,
and other vehicles, during such enler-
gency as in it's opinion will best pro-
mote the service in the interest OF the
public and the commerce Of the peo-
pie IS # g; to require such joint or
common use of terminals y; and
to give directions for preference or
priority in transportation. embargoes,
or movement of traffic" Furthermore,
when any carrier is "for any reason"
unable to transport the traffic offered
it, the Commission may take charge
and give directions for handling the
traffic so as best to serve the public.
It is evident that it requires no spe-
cial act of Congress to enable the
Government to exercise as complete
control over the transportation sys-
tenn as it did during the war. Not
only is the handling of trains entirely
within the jurisdiction Of the Inter-
state Commerce Commission, but the
ASSIGNMENT of cars and the routing OF
traffic practically puts in the hands OF
the Commission the power to limit
prices and conserve the supply OF ar
ticles of production. Coal protiteers'
who seek to take advantage of the
decreased supply by adding to their
prices are effectively curbed by the
Commissions power. to deny them
cars. In giving directions for prior
ity of shipments, the Commission pos
sesses an additional weapon with
which to deal with individuals or
companies who would prey upon the
public during an emergency.
The strike leaders have INSISTED
that the Labor Board was not the
that its decisions carried
no mandate for their enforcement, and
that to- strikn against their enforce
ment was in rs sense strike against
the government. The logic OF that
contention is entirely unsound, but
even Mr.. Jewell must admit that any
attempt to hinder train movements
if the roads are under the control OF
the Interstate Commerce Commission
would be active opposition to Federal
authority. The fact is that every
agency that is now contributing to
tie-up of traffic, and, indirectly, every
agency that is assisting in creating
fuel shortage, is face to face with the
memorable power of the National Gov
eminent that is going to see that the
people have the coal and transporta-
ton so necessary to their lives.
MEMBERSHIP GROWS |
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