Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-03-25
ROOSEVELT URGES
CONGRESS TO ACT
Sends Special Mes.
sage to National
Body
TREATS IMPORTANT SUBJECT
Re.Enactment of Employers
Liability Act is Recon-.
mended.

Washington, March 25.--The follow.
Ing is a synopsis of special message
send to Congress today by President
Roosevelt:
Il call your attention to certain
measures as to which think there
should be action by Congress before
the close of the present session:
Child labor should be prohibited
throughout the nation.
II renew my recommendation for
the immediate re-enactment of the
employers liability law drawn to con-
form to the recent decision of the
United States supreme court
In addition to the liability law pro.
tecting the employees of common car
rers, the government should show
it's good faith by cnacting further
law giving compensation to its en-
rloyes for injury or death incurred in
its service
II also urge action aIong the line
OF recommendations have already
made concerning injunctions In labor
disputes. No temporary restraining
order should be issued by any court
without notice and petition for per-
manent Injunction upon sucn. II a
temporary restraining order has been
issued this should be heard by the
court issuing same within a reason
able time, say not to exceed one week
from the date the order was issued.
II again call your attention to the
urgent need of amending the inter
state commerce law and especially the
antitrust law along the lines indicat.
ed in my last message. The law
should be amended so as to give the
railroads the right to make traffic
agreements subject to the approval OF
the Interstate commerce commission
and published in all their details.
"The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion should be given power to pass on
all securities hereafter issued by those
railroads doing an interstate business
A law should be passed providing
that when the federal court deter
mines the place of the common car
rier or other public utility concern
under 1he control of a receivership
the attorney general should Lave the
right to nominate at least one of the
receivers or else in some other way
the interests of the stockholders
should be consulted
Would Amend Antitrust Law.
I'm addition to the reasons I have
already urged it has become import
ant that there should be an amend
ment to the antitrust law because O
the uncertainty as to how this law
affects combinations among laborins
men and farmers, if the combination
has tendency to restrict interstate
commerce. All these combinations
If and while existing for and engaged
in the promotions of innocent and
proper purposes should be recognized
as legal In the modern industrial
necessary. They are necessary among
business men, they are necessary
among laboring men and they are be-
coming more and more necessary
among farmers. Some of these com
binatons are among the most power
full of all the instruments for wrong
doing. Others offer the only effective
way of meeting the actual busines:
needs. 1t Is mischievous and IN
wholesome to keep upon the statute
books an unmodifled law like the an
thrust law which while in practict
is only partially effective agains
vicious combinations, has neverthe
less been construed so as sweeping
ly to prohibit every combination fo1
the transaction of modern business.
1T has become uncertain how fal
this law may involve all labor organi
cations and farmers organizations al
well as business organizations in con
fict with the law. A bill has beer
presented in Congress to remedy this
situation. Some such measure al
this bill is needed in tAe interes
of all those engaged In industrie!
which are essential to the country
we'll being
The President does not say Wha
the exact terms of the law should bt
but suggests the following changes II
the law:
The substantiative part of the an
thrust law should remain as at pres
ent; that Is every contract in restrain
Of trade should continue to be illega
and that some government authorit.
should be allowed to pass on thes'
contracts; publicity should also b'
provided for; labor organizations
farmers organizations and other or