The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-12-13

port and import trade. A constant re
vision of the tariff by the congress I:
disturbing and harmful. The present Law
contains an elastic provision authorizing
the PRESIDENT to increase or decrease pres.
ent schedules not in excess of 80 pei
centum to meet the difference in cost Of
production at home and abroad. This
does not, to my mind. warrant a rewrit,
ing of the whole law. but does mean, an6
will be so administered that whenever
the required investiga ton shows that In
equalities of sufficient Importance exist
In any schedule. the power to change
them should and will be applied
Shipping.
The entire well being of our country is
dependent upon transportation by sea and
land Our government during the war
acquired a larg= merchant fleet which
should be transferred. as soon as pos
sible. to private ownership and operation
under conditions which would secure two
results. First. and of prime Importance,
adequate means for national defense: sec
ond. adequate service to American COM
merce. Until shipping conditions are such
that our fleet can be disposed of advan-
tageously under these conditions, it will
be operated as economically as possible
under such plans as may be devised
from time to time by the shipping board.
We must nave a merchant marine which
meets these requirements. and We shall
have to pay the cost of its service.
Public Improvements.
The time has come to resume in a mod
crate way the opening of our mira
coastal waterways, the control of flood wa
tiers of the Mississippi and of the Colora-
do rivers. the Improvement of the water
ways from the Great Lakes toward the
Gulf Of Mexico: and the development of
the great power and navigation project OF
the st. Lawrence river, for which efforts
are now being made to secure the nee
essary treaty with Canada These prof.
ects cannot all be undertaken at once.
but all should have the immediate con-
Sld9ratiOn of the congress and hp admit
ed as fast as plans can be matured and
the necessary funds become available.
Railroads.
Criticism of the railroad law has
been directed. first, to the section lay
ing down the rule by which rates are
fixed, and providing for payment to
the government and use of excess earn
ings; second. to the method for the
adjustment of wage scales; and third,
to the authority permitting consolida-
lions.
1t has been enormously assumed that
the act undertakes to guarantee rail-
road earnings. The law requires that
rates should be just and reasonable.
That has always beer the rule under
which rates have been fixed. To mah--
a rate that does not yield a fair return
results in conf1scation. and confiscatory
rates are of course unconstitutional.
Unless the government adheres to the
rule of making a rate that will yield
a fair return, 1t must abandon rate
making altogether. The new and i'm
portant feature Of that part of the law
is the recapture and redistribution of
excess rates. The constitutionality of
this method is now before the Supreme
court for adjudication. Their decision
further legislation on this subject
Furthermore. the Importance of this
feature will not be great If consolida-
ton goes into effect.
The settlement of railroad labor dis
putes is a matter of grave public con-
Germ. The labor board was estab-
lished to protect the public in the en-
joyment of continuous service by at
tempting to insure justice etwee the
companies and their employees. 1T has
been a ~reat help, but is not altogether
ees, or the companies. If a substantial
agreement can be reached among the
groups interested, there should be no
into law If it is not reached. the
labor board may very well be left for
the present to protect the public well
fare.
Department Of Justice.
AS no revision Of the laws of the
United States has been made since 1873.
a commission or committee should be
created to undertake this work. The
judicial council reports that two more
district judges are needed in the south
ern. district Of New York, one in the
northern district of Georgia. and two
Of Appeals Of the Eighth circuit. Leg
~islation should be considered for this
purpose.
given adequate attention to It's prison !
problems 1t ought to provide employ
ment in such forms Of production as
can be used by the government. though
not sold to the public in competition
with private business. for all prisoners
who can be placed at work, and for
which they should receive a reasonable
compensation. available for their de-
pendents
Prohibition.
me prohibition amendment to the
Constitution requires the and
the President to provide adequate laws
to prevent its violation It is my duty
to enforce such laws. For that pur-
pose a treaty Is being negotiated with
Great Britain with respect to the right
of search of lowering vessels. To pre-
vent smuggling. the coast guard should
be greatly strengthened. and a supply
OF swift power boats should be pro-
vided The major sources Of produce
every effort should be made to suppress
interstate traffic. With this action on
the part Of the national government.
BY municipal and state au,
prohibition should be made
Free government has no
greater menace than disrespect for
authority and continual violation of
1t is the duty OF a citizen not
only to observe the law hut to let 1t
be known that he is opposed to Its
The Negro.
Numbered among our population are
some ~, 600, 900 colored people. Under
our Constitution their rights are just
as sacred as those of any other citizen.
1t is both a public and a private duty
to protect those rights. The congress
ought to exercise all its powers of pre-
v~ention and punishment against the
hideous crime of lynching. of which
the negroes are by no means the sole
sufferers, but for which they furnish
a majority of the victims.
Regulatory Legislation
Cooperation with other maritime pow
srs is necessary for complete protection
IF our coast waters from pollution. Plans
FOR this are under way, but await certain
experiments for refuse disposal. Mean
-ime laws prohibiting spreading oil and
oil refuse from vessels in our own terri
torial waters would be most helpful
against this menace and should be speed
ly enacted.
Laws should be passed regulating avi-
ltion.
tlevision is needed of the laws regulat-
radio interference.
Army and Navy.
For several years we have been de-
,reasing the personnel of the army and
lavy, and reducing their power to the
LANCER n0ipf Further Reductions ShOuId