The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-23
FEAR DAVIS MOVE
New Governors Attitude
Toward Court Arouses Interest.
Eastern Newspapers Concerned
Over Result of the Election.
IT'S WORTH A LONGER TRIAL
Industrial Court Shouldn't Be
LOst-PhiIadeIphia Bulletin.
Editorial Writers Watching Re-
suit of j. NJ. Davis Efforts.
BY A. L. SHULTZ.


Nationwide interest in the fight
which Governor-elect Davis will make
on the industrial court act in Kansas
may be almost as keen as the concern
which surrounded the special session
of the legislature which passed Gov
ernor Aliens proposal for a tribunal
to settle industrial disputes. Already
the issue before the Kansas legisla-
ture this winter has aroused editorial
writers for large eastern papers and
the Davis program will be watched in
every state.
Ability of the new Democrat gov
ernor to force acceptance of his in
depreciation of the election as a de-
mand for repeal of the labor court act
may give the new executive more con-
Germ than his program for tax re-
trenchment and abolition of boards
and commissions. Davis, tho, is one
of the best single handed fighters in
the Democrat party in this state. he
has BOWED his neck, Spat on his hands
and started in to put the industrial
court act in the scrap pile. If he does
MT force repeal of the court act there
isn't much question but that he viii
be abe to make the court entirely in
operative.
East Fears Change.
Some of the possibilities of the
Kansas disturbance have aroused the
eastern publishers interested in pro-
lection of the third party in industrial
have displayed the fear that the state
may throw aside its enactment which
was the opening wedge in protecting
the public when the employer and
the employee fail to agree.
The Philadelphia Bulletin fails to
see a slap at the industrial court law
in the Kansas election and attributes
the election of Davis to Ku klux Khan
activities and other local problems.
1t points to the fact that while kan~
sas turned upside down in the election
of a governor. it returned a Republi-
can legislature and in the main dis
played normal tendencies.
Bulletins Editorial.
Abandonment of the tribunal at
the present time would be an I'M
fortunate outcome of a freak election"
says the Philadelphia Bulletin in COM
menting editorialIy on possible results
of the Kansas election. In an edi-
torial under the caption "a Court to
be Saved" the Bulletin says:
.. tsovernor-eIeet Jonathan NJ. Davis. of
Kansas, may be right in taking his cleo
ton as reputation of the industrial
coGrt law and mandate to crusade for
not the least being the Ku Klux Klan's
ticket and counterea with the election
OF a Republican Legislature, there is at
cratic candidate for governor obtained his
enemy Of the Industrial court.
Abandonment of the tribunal at the
come OF a freak election. The experiment
deserves 4 longer trial, being regarded by
students and observers turnout the United
States as offering n hopeful way out from
the weller of Industrial disputes and re-
curing strikes. The Kansas industrial
court promised to demonstrate the prac-
ticability of adjudicating the differences
between employers and employed over
wages, conditions of work. hours OF labor
and other FRACTIONAL questions, which too
frequently eventuate in expensive aud I'M
epeaI Of the statute. which aimed at
the protection of the public the third
party to labor disputes, rests with the
legislature. As its political complexion
differs from that of GovernOr-elect Davis,
lie may not find IL so complaisant to do
his bidding as his bellicOse declarations
against the industrial court seem to an
ticipate.
The Industrial court is essentially n chal-
lenge of the right to strike But the chai-
lenge of that right as unrestricted license
to tie up public service, impede general
prosperity and cause harassment for
or another on the continued and orderly
function of industry and trade, is being re-
peated all along the line Governor Henry
Aliens protest against disruption by
strikes is echoed in many quarters. He is
in lead of public thought only to the extent
protection of the rights of the individual.
in place Of the strike method which is re-
Probably the Kansas court has made
mistakes. Possibly it has become unpop-
uIar. But il is worth longer trial, and,
il may be expected to reappear. as the
logical complement Of the existing judicial
system. and as the guarantor OF industrial
peace.