The Washington times., 1922-08-18


armed violencs to any man attempt.
Ing TO 70 70 work. There 10 q state Of
lawlessness shocking to every con
ception of American law and order
and violating the cherished guaran'
ties of American freedom. At no
time has the Federal Government
been unready or unwilling to give It's
,, support to maintain law and order
and restrain violence. but In no case
has State authority confessed it's In.
ability to cope with the situation
and asked for Federal assistance.
Under these conditions Of hin.
drance and intimidation there has
been such q lack Of care Of motive
power that the deterioration of To-
comotives and the noncompliance
with the safety requirements Of the
law are threatening the breakdown
Of transportation. This very serious
menace Ia magnified by the millions
of losses to fruit growers and other
producers Of perishable foodstuffs.
and comparable losses to farmers
who depend on transportation TO
market their grains at harvest time.
Even worse. II IL hindering the
transport Of available coal when In.
dustry II OIL the verge Of paralysis
because Of coal shortage, and life
and health are menaced by coal fam
Inc in the great centers Of popula-
ton. Surely the threatening condi-
tions must impress the Congress and
the country that no body of men
whether limited In numbers and re-
| sponsible for railway management
or powerful In numbers and the
| necessary forces In railroad opera
ton. shall be permitted to choose a
course which 80 imperils public well
fare. Neither organizations of en-
ployers nor workingmen's unions
may escape responsibility. When
related to a public service the mere
fact of organization magnifies that
responsibility and public interest
| transcends that Of either grouped
capital or organized labor.
Have Right TO Work.
Another development Is so sig
nificant that the hardships of the
| moment may we'll be endured to rivet
popular attention to necessary settle
ment. 1t 10 fundamental to all free
dom that all men have unquestioned
rights to lawful pursuits, to work
and to live and choose their own
lawful ways to happiness. In these
strikes these rights have been denied
by assault and violence. by armed
lawlessness. In many communities
tha municipal authorities have wink.
| ed at these violations, until liberty
is q mockery and the law a matter
Of community contempt. It 10 fair
| to say that the great mass Of organ
lied workmen do not approve, but
they seem helpless to hinder. These
conditions cannot remain In free
America. II free men cannot toll
according to their own lawful choos-
ing, all our constitutional guaran-
tees born Of democracy are surrend.
cred to mpbocracy and the freedom
Of q hundred millions Is surrendered
to the small minority which would
have no law.
II is not my thought to ask Con-
gress to deal with these fundamental
problems at this time. No hasty ac-
ton would contribute to the solution
Of the present critical situation.
There is existing law by which to
settle the prevailing disputes. There
are statutes forbidding conspiracy to
hinder interstate commerce. There
are laws to assure the highest pos.
sible safety in railway service. 1t is
my purpose to invoke these lava
civil and criminal. against all offend
ers alike.
Urged Safeguard.
The legal safeguarding against like
menaces in the future must be
worked out when no passion sways
when no prejudice influences, when
the whole problem may be appraised
and the public welfare may be as
/ serted against any and every inter.
est which assumes authority beyond
that Of the Government itself.
One specific thing I must ask al
I your hands at the earliest possible
moment. There 10 pending q bill e
provide for the better protection Of
aliens and for the enforcement OF
their treaty rights. 1t Is meas
ure. in short, to create turtsdictior
for the Federal courts through which
the National Government Will save
appropriate power to protect aliens
in the rights secured to them under
treaties and to deal with crimet
which affect our foreign relations.
The matter has been before Con
gress on many previous occasions
President Tyler. in his first annual
message, advised Congress that In
as much as "the Government II
charged with the maintenance oi
peace and the preservation Of amica
BILE relations with the nations OF the
earth, II ought to possess without
question all the reasonable and prop
er means of maintaining the one and
preserving the other"
| President Harrison asked for the
same bestowal of jurisdiction. havinl
encountered deep embarrassment
which grew out Of the lynching oi
eleven aliens in New Orleans In 1891
President Mckinley. dealing with q
like problem In 1899. asked the con
ferring upon Federal courts tYris
diction in that class of internationa
cases where the ultimate responsi
bility of the Federal Government
may be involved. President Roose
velt uttered a like request to Con
gress in 1906, and President TGf
pointed out the defect in the present
Federal Jurisdiction when he ma II
his inaugural address In 1909. Ht
declared that "it puts our Govern
ment in q pusillanimous position tc
make definite engagement to pro
tect aliens and then to excuse the
failure to perform these engage
ments by an explanation that th'