Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-26
TARIFF AND
LABOR WS
NEEDC CHANGE
PRESIDENTS DOCUMENT FREE
FROM ATTACKS
is IN STRIKING CONTRAST TO
EARLIER LETTERS
Chief Executive Declares Time Has
Come for Abolition Of Child
Labor - Discusses
njunctions
Special to The Herald.

WASHINGTON, March 25.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt sent a message to con-
gress today-a message lacking the Wig
orous attacks that have been made of
late on predatory corporations, but
filled with suggestions for legislation
deemed necessary to the welfare of the
country.
Abolition of child labor, changes in
the tariff, laws that will permit legi-
innate combination of corporate inter-
ests, arbitration of strikes, recognition
of labor unions and their rights to call
strikes, postal savings banks and other
necessary innovations are recon-
mended by the president.
The message was read today in both
houses of congress. In the lower house
both Democrats and Republicans ap-
plauded. In the senate the message
was received with silence.
Following is the message:
ITO the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives: Il call your attention to
certain measures as to which l think
| there should be action by the congress
before the close of the present session.
There is ample time for their consider
ation
"As regards most. If not all, of the
matters, bills have been introduced into
one or the other of the two houses,
and 1T is not too much to hope that
action will be taken one way or the
other on these bills at the present ses-
sion. In my message at the opening of
| the present session, and indeed In va
rious messages to previous congresses,
have repeatedly suggested action on
| most of these measures.
| Child labor should be prohibited
| throughout the nation. At least
model child labor bill should be passed
| for the District of Columbia. 1t is un-
| fortunate that in the one place solely
| dependent upon congress for its legis-
| lation there should be no law whatever
to protect children by forbidding or
regulating their labor.
Employers Liability Bill
II renew my recommendation for the
immediate re-enactment of an employ
ers' liability law, drawn to conform to
| the recent decision of the supreme
court. Within the limits indicated by
| the court the law should be made thor
ough and comprehensive, and the pro-
lection it affords should embrace every
class of employe to which the power of
the congress can extend.
I'm addition to a liability law protect
ing the employees of common carriers,
the government should show it's good
faith by enacting a further law giving
compensation to it's own employees for
1t Is a reproach to US as nation that
in both federal and state legislation we
have afforded less protection to public
and private employees than, any other
industrial country of the world.
81 also urge that action be taken
along the line of the recommendations
1 have already made concerning injunc-
tions in labor disputes. No temporary
restraining order should be issued by
any court without notice, and the petit
tion for a permanent injunction upon
which such temporary restraining or
der has been issued should be heard
by the court issuing the same within a
reasonable time-say. not to exceed a
week. or thereabouts from the date
when the order was issued. 1t is worth
considering whether it would not give
greater popular confidence in the Inn
partiality of sentences for contempt II
il was required that the issue should be
decided by another judge than the one
issuing the injunction, except when the
contempt Is committed in the presence
of the court or in other cases of urg-
ency
II again call attention to the urgent
need of amending the Interstate COM
merce law and especially the antl-trust
law along the lines indicated in my last
message The interstate commerce law
should be amended so as to give rail-
roads the right to make traffic agree
ments, subject to these agreements be-
ing approved by the Interstate COM
merce commission, and published in all
their details The commission should
also be given the power to make pubic
and to pass upon the issuance of all
securities hereafter issued by railroads
doing an interstate commerce business.
Regarding Receivers
"a law should be passed providing in
effect that when a federal court deter
mines to place a common carrier or
other public utility concern under the
control of a receivership, the attorney
general should have the right to NOM
mate at least one of the receivers or
else in some other way the interests OF
the stockholders should be consulted,
so that the management may not be
wholly re-delivered to the man or men
the failure of whose policy may nave
necessitated the creation of the recelV-
ership Receiverships should be used
not to operate roads, but as Speedlly as
possible to pay their debts and return
them to the proper owners.
"In addition to the reasons have al
ready urged on your attention. 1t has
now become important that there
should be an amendment or the anti
trust law because of the uncertainty
as to how this law affects combinations
among laboring men and farmers, IL
the combination has any tendency to
restrict interstate commerce.. All or
these combinations, if, and while ex-
listing for and engaged in the pro-
motion of innocent and proper pur-
poses, should be recognized as illegal.
as I have repeatedly pointed out, this
antitrust law was a most unwisely
drawn statute.
eft was perhaps inevitable that in
feeling after the right remedy the first
attempts to provide such should be
crude: and it was ali a'utely Imperative
that some legislation should be passed
to control in the interest OF the pub
(Continued on Page Two)