Warren sheaf., 1905-12-07

unless for good reasons they were direct
ed to do so by the interstate commerce
commission. It is greatly to be desired
that some way might be found by which
in a state intended to operate as a fraud
upon the federal interstate commerce
laws could be brought under the iuris-
diction of the federal authorities At
present it occurs that large shipments Of
interstate traffic are controlled by con-
eessiOns on purely state business, which
Of course amounts to an evasion of the
law. The commission should have power
to enforce fair treatment by the great
trunk lines of lateral and branch lines
Immediate Action Urged.
urge upon the congress the need of
providing for expeditions action by the
interstate commerce commission in all
these matters, whether in regulating
rates for transportation or for storing
or for handling property or commodities
in transit. The history of the cases liti-
gated under the present commerce act
shows that its efficacy has been to great
degree destroyed by the weapon of DELAY
almost the most formidable weapon in
the hands of those whose purpose II IL
to violate the law.
! The president asks for legislation COM
pelling railroads to install block sy stems on
their lines. and also calls the attention OF
congress to the excessive hours of labor:
of train service employees OF the railroad
companies are often subjected to. He rec
ommends that a commission be appointed
to study of employers liability with the OBJ.
ject of the enactment Of law covering the
subject and applicable to all industries
within the scope of the federal power.
The Labor Question.
The labor question is treated of at con-
r 10 moth ND iy,t iC
president says:
There has been demand for depriving
courts Of the power to issue injunctions
In labor disputes. Such special Emita-
ton of the equity powers of our courts
would be most unwise. 1t is true that
some judges have misused this power;
but this does not justify denial Of the
power any more than an improper eXer-
else of the power to call a strike by
labor leader would, justify the denial Of
the right to strike. The remedy is 10
regulate the procedure by requiring the
Judge to give due notice to the adverse
parties before granting the writ, the hear
ing to be ex parte if the adverse party
does not appear at the time and place
ordered. What is due notice must depend
upon the facts of the case; it should not
be used as preteNt to permit violation
of law, or the jeopardiztng of life or
v.
thorize the issuing of restraining order
or injunction in any case in which it is
not already authorized by existing law.
l renew the recommendation l made
in my last annual message for an in
vestigation by the department of COM
merce and labor of general labor condi-
tions, especial attention to be paid to the
conditions of child labor and child labor
legislation in the several states. Such
c1,o to1y into
the various problems with which the
question of child labor is connected It
is true that these problems can be actu-
ally met in most cases only by the states
themselves, but it would be we'll for the,
nation to endeavor to secure and publish
comprehensive information as to the con-
dtions of the labor of children in the diff
ferent states, so as to spur up those that
are hehindhand. and to secure approx
imatey uniform legislation of a high
character among the several states In
such republic as ours the one thing
that we cannot afford TO neglect is the
problem of turning out decent citizens
The future of the nation depends upon
the citizenship of the generations to
come; the children Of to-day are those
who tomorrow will shape the destiny
of our land, and we cannot afford to neg
lect them. The legislature of Colorado
has recommended that the national gov
ernment provide some general measure
for the protection from abuse of children
and dumb animals throughout the United
States l lay the matter before you for
what | trust will bs your favorable con-
sideration. " x
The department of commerce and labor
should also make a thorough investiga-
ton of the conditions of women in in
dustry. Over 100000 American women
are now engaged in gainful occupations:
yet there is an almost complete dearth
of data upon which to base any trust
worthy conclusions as regards subject
as important as it is vast and compit-
Gated. There is need Of full knowledge
on which to base action looking toward
state and municipal legislation for the
protection of working women. The in
PRODUCTION of women into industry is
working change and disturbance in TIN,
domestic and social life of the nation.
The decrease in marriage, and especially
in the birth rate, has been coincident with
it. We must face accomplished facts
and the adjustment to factory conditions
must be made; but surely it can be made
with less friction and less harmful effects
on family life than is now the case
This whole matter in reality forms one
of the, greatest sociological phenomena
of our time: it is a social question of
the first Importance, of far greater i'm
pOrtance than any merely political or
economic question can be; and to solve
it we need ample data, gathered in a
sane and scientific spirit in the course
of an exhaustive investigation
In concluding with the subject of labor
the president says: -
In any great labor disturbance not only
are employer and employe interested but
also a third party-the general public
Every considerable labor difficulty in
which interstate commerce is involved
should be investigated by the govern
ment and the facts officially reported TO
the public.
Equal Rights for AL
The question Of securing a healthy,
and mutually sympathetic
as between employer and en-
ploye, capitalist and wage worker, is a
difficult one. All phases of the labor
problem prove difficult when approached
But the underlying principles, the root
principles, in accordance with which the
problem must be solved are entirely sim
pie. We can get justice and right dealing
only ii we put as of paramount impor-
tance the principle of treating man on
his worth as a man rather than with
reference to his social position, his occu-#
patton, or the class to which she belongs
There are selfish and brutal men in all
ranks of life. II they are capitalists
their xselfiShnesS and brutality NAV take