Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1946-05-30

full individual in our great coun-
try. And what he said on the.
radio last Friday followed by
his emphatic demand for action
by Congress on
Truman Saturday proves
Cracks that Harry S.
Ell Down" Truman has what
it takes to meet
an emergency. 1t is. not that
Mr.. Truman made great ma
tional hero of himself. For the
transient and temporary handi-
caps and sacrifices imposed on
the people through the railroad
strike he forced settlement OF
the dispute. That is what the
people had a right to expect.
But the principal advantage OF
his forceful action is the re-
assurance given one hundred and
|. forty million people that our
democracy can work-that there
is limit to which any man can
go against the general public
good.
We fought two hard wars to
prove that democracy is the
ideal form of government. We
won the last war through much
sacrifice. But we haven't yet
proven to the doubling world
that democracy will work as well
in peacetime as at war. We are
in the midst of a severe test of
that phase of our national exist
ence. 1t is unthinkable that the
people of Amer
Proves He's lea should be
Powerful denied those
Individual things for which
so many sacri-
fees were made. 1t is beyond
the average persons tolerance
to accept sacrifice and hardship
on top of one another in order
that disputes between manage
ment and labor can be settled.
Were it possible for either side
to exert enough pressure on the
other to enforce demands with
out causing hardship on millions
of innocent bystanders we would
all join in the good old chorus
of "let the best man win." But
that cannot be done and if gov
eminent is accepted as the in
strument of our social order
through which all phases of our
daily lives are protected we must
look to The President and Con-
gress for decisions calculated to
provide that protection.
The one thing we should insist
on in our contacts with public Off
Gals now that the greatest emer-
gency since V-Day is passed is
avoided such crises as developed
that the necessary authority be
given the President and his Cab
met to deal with
Should Have any recurrence
Necessary of such an emer-
Authority gency in the
future. Certainly
it is foolhardy to wait until an
emergency is upon US before
taking steps to meet it. There
are many who agree that Presi-
dent Truman should have taken
a strong stand weeks before and
avoided such crises as developed
through the railroad strike and
through the United Mine Work
ers.
There is a course which our
lawmakers could follow almost
without disagreement. Senator
Byrd and Senator Pepper could
get together. 1t is this: good
pay for the working man and
constant improvement in work
ing conditions are essential to
our prosperity. From the gen.
eral acceptance we could go
along in an effort to provide
methods of meeting disputes
which warning factions have
failed to dissolve.
u seems preposterous to me
That any man can see dis.
advantage in making provision
by LAW for the settling Of
major disputes. No lawmaker
senator or Congressman, will
deny that. All that is needed is
q reasonable approach which
viii not impose a burden on
either party and which will stand
the test OF constitutionality.
The present crisis should no,
be passed over until such nro.
visions are made.