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Show Uncle Teds Ted-Time Ted-Time Stories IVjM C.lt.VIWA AND THK cm- Hs8 bill! Ruth and Jack with their mot belaud bel-aud father had just returned from spending Christmas day out In I lit' couiury with their only grandfather Ol count, Uncle Ted was there too and they hud a wonderful time coast- I inn on their now sleds, skating on the river and sleigh riding through the old pine woods. ' "Uncle Ted," spoke up Jack, "what was Grandpa so mad about the day you and Dad were talking with him in the big sleigh;" '"We were talking bout the railroads. rail-roads. Jack, and what would be done with the Cummins bill U return tteom to their owners. But before 1 can tell you why your Grandfather was bo augrj 1 must explain a few things. You will remember a long time ago I tuld ou and Ruth about the Plumb plan which give the railroads rail-roads to the men who run the trains. making the i pie ol the 1'nited Stutes pay for them. Then, not so lone aico I told you all about this joummlBI bill, named after Senator 'Albert 11. Cummins of '.own who 'spent months and months tring to 'get a bill written Which would make II possible to turn the railroads back to their owneri and put a stop to the uovcrnment running them. It is by ,.,, ,,. ,,,, biil thai hai bean written writ-ten to take a,v ol thai attuatH One part of it. called the Antl-Strlko Antl-Strlko clause, I also explained. This clause would wake it ImpoaalbU for two or wore railroad men to strike, that Is. quit work. With a Vlaw to lying up transportation and ..malni starvation and suflOg rOI lack of trains With which to .any food." -Can they do that now'.- asked- Ruth. I "Yes they can. There I. no law to PCP H. 1 'It thl. P rl of the CtmmlMbtll made a law . ey could Lt a c. ta. bin k; :it :r. ot WM, and Worklni tU.' Wd three 'Tie, I Do, . Ldjustmenfl.. " "" ' "" wttm Juauce than under the , horrible suffering I railroad strike would care. The Senate -talked about ths bill fom December 2nd to December 20th when it passed by a vote of 46 to 30. It passed without any important rhar.ges from the way It was written by Senator Cummins and those who helped him. There was a big fight over the Anti Strike clause though. The railroad men didn't want that of course, and gave as their excuse that it would make It Impossible for men to quit work. That is Quitting his work anytime and any plnec ho wants. It does provide punishment, as it should for two or more men to strike and tie up the railroads. Senator Robert M. La Follette, or Wisconsin, spoke against the bill for days and .days and again spoke for four hours on the day it was passed. He finally fin-ally tried to get a bill of his own! passed in place of theVummins bill! I but It was defeated by a vole ot fi5 to 11. His bill wolld have kept the 'railroads under Government control .for two more years." "Is that bill a law now?" asked Jack. "Now Jack, the bill is now being j talked over by a body of men from , both the Senate and House of Repres-jentatlves, Repres-jentatlves, to adjust the differences 'between the Cummins hill and the i railroad bill passed by the House called the Esch bill, named oftor Representative Re-presentative John .1. Esch of Wisconsin. Wis-consin. Now, to answei your first question Jack, as to why grandfather was angry that day. Your grandfather grand-father a farmer and like the majority ma-jority of farmers of the country he Is gaalnst the govenmeni owning or running the railroads He was saying say-ing that the farmers have been quoted quot-ed aa being In favor of government ownership of the roads which is uot (true and he fears that durng th meeting of the men I just told you about the important anti-strike clause may be taken out." "Who aald the farmers were against the Cummins bill?" asked Jack. "Men who make it a business to claim to represent groups of men In Washington, and who say they have the Interest of the farmers at heart. They do not represent the farmers. I There is an organization known as the National Grange, claiming to have a membership of more than 1,000,000 farmers which really does represent the farmers The man who 'represents this organization in Washington, Wash-ington, Prof T. C. Atkeson, says the farmers won't have anything put over ov-er on them The week before the bill passed the Senate, twenty seven men went to the White House to protest pro-test against returning the railroads to their owners for at least two 'years, "flie stories that were printed jln the" newspapers at that time said .that these men were repreesnting un-ion un-ion lbaor and the farmers' organiza tlona. Frof. Atkeson says This Is a I fallacy,' (that is, a story) and that I 'There was a large number of unto labor men there all right, bul nli two men claimed to represent the far I ' i the i . .iiiiii"- ii,. it that the great farmers organization are tor the most purl heartily In favor of Hie Cummins railroad bill, and bitterly opposed ( the government govern-ment keeping the railroad Before the bill was voted on this man sent a letter to Senator Cummins In which he urged that the railroads he turnod bark to their owners aj ,,..,, as possible This same man tayi ih.u the persons who have tried to make people believe that the organized farmers far-mers favor government ownetship are not farmers themselves and do not represent any considerable proportion of the men and women actually engaged en-gaged In farming. Last November this same farmers' ergalzatlou at Us fifty third nnnual session at Grand Rapids, Mich., adopted a resolution which shows where they stand. I will read it to you. 'We declare our opposition to government ownership and to nationalization of business and Industry unless clearly required In the public Interest. Wo favor the tafeguaidl'ig and protection of every light of private property on the broad ground that only by the full development develop-ment of the right of private pi 'perty l can there be perpetuate 1 the full men' sure of Individual Initiative and em-ulatlou em-ulatlou upon which a democracy Is based and by which Its future is assured.' as-sured.' "Another organlztiou which has the real interest of the farmers at heart Is the National Hoard of Farm Organisations. The secretary of that organization, Charles A. l.ytnun. says that the majority of the members are absolutely opposed to government ownership and want the roads turned back to their owners. So you can isee now. Jack, why your, grandfather grandfath-er was angry." "I don't blame him," said Jack, i "and I hope the Cummins bill Is made n law just as it wns written." "Yes, Jack, the interest of the more than 100,000,000 people of the country Is grantor than the interest of any one group." which Is a delightful comedy, is laid In Venice In the 18th century. Spe- ' clal scenery will be prepared by the Art department of the College and elaborate costumes have been order- ' ed from San Francisco. The leading parts will bo sung by Mr. Robert Rlackner and Miss Gladys Smith . Mr. Dlackner ami Miss Smith appeared in leading roles in 1 "Iolanthe," a Gilbert and Sullivan opera, and "Boccaccio." by Suppe two productions put on by the college col-lege ''The Cfondollers" will be presented present-ed February 26th and 27th. |