The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-28
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doing interstate business should be under the supervision of the national government.
 A strong effort has been made 10 have labor organizations completely exempted from any of the operations of this law, whether or not their acts are in restraint of trade. Such exception would in all probability make the bill unconstitutional, and the legislature has no more right to pass a bill with out regard to whether it Is constitu- tiondl than the courts have lightly to declare unconstitutional a law which the legislature has solemnly enacted. The responsibility is as great on the one side as on the other. and an abuse of power by the legislature in one di- rectlon Is eq lally to be condemned with an abuse of power by the courts In the other direction It Is not possl- bly, wholly to except labor organIza- tions from the workings of this law, and they who insist upon totally ex- cepting them are merely providing that their status shall be kept wholly un- changed. and that they shall continue to be exposed to the action which they now dread Obviously, an organization net formed for profit should not be re- quired to furnish statistics in any way as complete AS those furnished by or- sanizations fer profit Moreover, SO far as labor Is engaged In production only, its claims to be exempted from the antitrust law are sound This would substantially cover he right of laborers to combine, to strike peacea- bly,, and to enter into trade agreements with the employers. But when labor undertakes In wrongful manner to prevent the distribution and sale of the products of labor, as by certain forms of the boycott, 1t has left the field of production, and It's action may plainly he in restraint of interstate trade, and must necessarily he subject to inquiry. exactly as in the case of any other combination for the same purpose so as to determine whether such action Is contrary to sound public policy. The heartiest encouragement should be giv- en to the wageworkers to form labor unions and to enter into agreements with their employers and their right to strike, SD long as they act peaceahly, must be preserved But we should sanction neither a boycott nor a black list which would be illegal at common law.
 Measures Advocated in the Interests
 of Both Sides.
 The measures I advocate are in the interest both of decent corporations and of W-abiding labor unions. They are, moreover, pre-emnently in the in- terest of the public for in my juds- ment the American people have dofn- itely made up their minds that the days of the reign of the great law -de- flying and law.evldins corporations are over and that from this time on the mighty organizations of capital ncces- sary for the transaction of business under modern conditions while encour- aged so long as they act honestly and in the interest of the general public, are to be subjected to careful super vision and regulation of kind SO eff fective as to insure their acting in the interest of the people as a whole.
 Attention Called to Boston Case.
 Allegations are often made to the ef- feet that there is no real need for these laws looking to the more effective con trol of the great corporations, upon tho ground that they will do their work well without such control. call your attention to the accompanying copy of report just submitted by MT. Nathan Matthews chairman of the fn- ance commission, to the mayor and city council of Boston relating to cer- tain evil practices of various corpora