The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-11-19
NEW IDEAS ON LABOR
IN ANNUAL MESSAGE
Because Few Suggestions Are Offered at Dinner Is No
Sign President Hasn't Fixed Ones of His Own.
Thinks Employers Liability Paramount
By J. c. WELLIVER.

President and the labor organization
people, about what is the immediate and
pressing line of labor legislation mosl
! 10 De desired. People who nave alkel
Win me president, and also with tne
labor people, find the President less con-
c@fhed about rigorous anu-inJu action
| legislation. than are the organizations
j he fact that Judge Tat stood squarely
| ON MS injunction record. and made no
apologies Tor Il from start TO finish o.
the campaign, has naturally caused
! some grauiicatiOn to people, who feel
thaL the injunction issue Is not the only
labor. Judge Tart stood pat and got
sIiendid vindication. these people say.
Employers Liability
The labor people are insistent on leg
islation. which will restrict use Of the
lnJuncttve process, and on removal OF
the antitrust laws bans from organ
izations OF labor. On the other hand,
the President, who is deeply interested
In these subjects. has led people. with
whom he talks, TO the impression that
employers liability, scientifically de-
velOped, and made to work auJomatical-
ly. is paramount in interest
For ore thing, the President would
Ike TO see the lawsuit eliminated. He
IS quoted As recently expressing the
opinion that in cases OF personal injury
the only person who can possibly bene-
lit by a lawsuit is the lawyer; and he
doesn't approve OF the idea that she
lawyers should get away with a large
snare OF the award, Ia the shape of fees.
me adapIauOn OF anything like the
German schedules OF haJIliJy. In this
country, would be cor plicaEed and dir
hcuu. because the JuTisdlc lions of States
and nation divide the field Of legislative
action. Nevertheless. the idea OF a self
operative scheme has been getting much
attention.
II is too early 70 judge the effect Of
the labor dinner. Tie American Fed
efatlon has taken a position OF hostility
10 Judge TAFT II has cen the more rad
Itdl Drdnch or the labOr movement, So
Tar as concerns auti-InJunCtiOn legisla-
LoH- The railroad organizations are
less interested In this. and more inter
tSleq n extension of the employers
LIABILITY code. The railroad people have
kept closer 10 the Republican party iu
the Ieceus night and IL is naturally as
sulEe that their interests will get con-
sireratiOn. This is emphasized hv the
tdcI that there is no agreement among
SSLe aoor people as 10 what they want
Dr. anti-inIuuciiun legislation. and that
congress has never come anywhere near
20 agreement about what ought 20 be
Injunction an Issue.
While there is so much EFFORT 10 make
the Injunction an issue, and while the
Injunction, the strike. the boycott, and
the blacklist are so prominent In all
discussions Of these subjects. the coun-
try's experience Justines the broad
statement that the strike is going out
OF fashion. There isn't so much OF IL
as there used 10 be. Employers and en-
piuyes more and more adjust their dif-
terences by consultation and mutual
concession. The injunction is not often
used in labor matters; the discussion OF
II Is becoming more an academic and
less a practical question. Public opin-
ion has been making itself felt espe-
cialiy since the anthracite strike. In
mat instance the President brought
the country, The employers. and the
unions TO recognize the interest-and the
paramount interest-of a third party.
In industrial disputes. The old-time
notion that Il was the business of the
coal barons and of the miners. whether
coal be produced, is demolished. The
shivering public Is now conceded a con
Germ quite as great as that OF employer
or employe. And so Of other labor dis
putes. The public has come TO realize
Its rights and interests, and the force
OF community opinion has been exerted.
most effectively, TO lessen the dIsposf-
ton 10 eNuemism in such controversies.