Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-12-12

production at home and abroad. This
does not. to my mind, warrant reWrlt,
ing of the whole law, but does mean, ana
will be so administered, that whenever
the required investigation shows that IN
| equalities of sufficient importance exist
in any schedule, the power to change
Shipping,
The entire well-being of our country is
dependent upon transportation by sea ana
| land. Our government during the wal
acquired a large merchant fleet whlch
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. II VIII
| be operated as economically possible
under such plans as may be devised
| from time to time by the shipping board
We must have a merchant marine when
meets these requirements and We shall
have to pay the cost of it's service
Public improvements.
The time has come to resume in mod
crate way the opening of our mira
coastal waterways; the control of flood wa
ters of the Mississippi and Of the Colora-
do rivers. the Improvement OF the water
ways from the Great Lakes toward the
Gulf of Mexico. ard 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-
sideraton of the congress and be adopt
ed as fast as plans can be matured and
the necessary funds become aVaila BILE.
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
hn ma Mt a n nf
ings; second, to the method for the
adjustment of wage scales; and third.
to the authority permitting consolida-
tions.
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 been the rule under
which rates have been fixed To make
rate that does not yield d fair return
results in confscation. and confiscatory
rates are OF course unconstitutional.
Unless the government adheres to the
rule of making rate that will yield
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
should be awaited before attempting
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 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 between the
companies and their employees. It has
been a ~~eat help, but is not altogether
satisfactory to the public, the employ
ees, or the companies. If a substantial
agreement can be reached among the
groups interested there should be
hesitation in enacting such agreement
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
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
more circuit judges in the Circuit Court
of Appeals of the Eighth circuit Leg
islation should be considered for this
purpose.
The national government has never
given adequate attention to its 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 Il reasonable
compensation, available for their de-
pendentS
Prohibition.
prohibition amendment to the
Constitution requires the congress and
the President to provide adequate laws
to prevent its VOCATION It is my duty
to enforce such laws For that pur
pose treaty is being negotiated with
Great Britain with respect to the right
of search of lowering vessels To pre-
vent ct ra CHI
be greatly strengthened. and supply
of swift power boats should be pro-
ton should be rigidly regulated, and
every effort should be made to suppress
interstate traffic With this action on
the part Of the national government,
and the cooperation which is usually
rendered by municipal and state au-
thorities. prohibition should be made
effective Free government has no
greater menace than disrespect for
authority and continual violation of
law. 1t is the duty of a citizen not
only to observe the law but to let it
be known that he is opposed to its
violation
The Negro.
Numbered among our population are
some 100000 colored people Under
our Constitution their rights are just
as sacred as those of any other citizen
1T is both public and private duty
to protect those rights. The congress
ought to exercise all its powers of pre-
| ~
hideous crime of Iynching of which
the negroes are by no means the sole
sufferers, out for which they furnish
majority Of the victims
Regulatory legislation
Cooperation with other maritime DOW
ers is necessary for complete protection
of our coast waters from pollution. Plans
for this are under way. but await certain
experiments for refuse disposal Mean
time 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
| lily enacted.
avs should be passed regulating avi
revision is needed of the laws reguIal
ing radio interference.
ARM and Navy.
For. several years we have been de-
creasing the personnel of the army and
navy. and reducing their power to the
danger point Further reductions should
not be MADE. The army is a guarantee
of the security of our citizens at home:
| the navy is a guarantee of the security