Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-31
PRESIDENT DEMANDS
NEW LEGISLATION
senas Special Message to Con-
gress Asking For Remedial
Acts For Corporate Laws
NOT as HOT AS ANTICIPATED
Expeetation Of a Document That Sim
merei Doomed to Disappointment =
Liability Law and Measures for Bet
ter Control Of Corporations Are De-
manded by Roosevelt.

washington, Jan. 31.-The special
message of the president to congress
on the subject of employers liability
act and injunctions in labor cases was
,,reSenred in the senate few minutes
after IL today and the assistsslt sec
retary of the senate Immediately began
it's reading. Printed copies. of the
MESSAGE were delivered to the sena-
tors present. Many of them appeared
TO satisfy themselves concerning the
nature of the message by scanning the
nrinted document, so that before the
reading was half finished they very
generally took up other matters, anu
only 81 few followed the reading care
fully until its conclusion.
Upon the conclusion of the reading
of the. message Senator Davis, OF Ar
kansas, promptly moved that 10000
copies, of the message be printed as a
public document. 1T is the best DEM
ocratic doctrine ever heard emanat-
ing from republican source, salu
Davis. The motion was agreed to.
The reading of the message in the
house was interrupted by frequent ap-
plause. At it's conclusion the members
regardless of party, loudly applauded
and cheered and thumped their desks
and gave other evidences OF their ap-
proval OF the document.
The message in part is as follows:
ITO the Senate and House OF Rep
lresenaatiyes: The recent decision OF
,the supreme court in regard to the
employers liability act, AT the exper-
ience of the interstate commerce COM
mission and of the department OF JUS
tice in enforcing the interstate COM
anertts and antitrust laws, and the
erayely significant attitude toward the
law and it's administration recently
adopted by certain heads of great cor
,porations, render it desirable that there
shonld be additional legislation as
regards certain of the relations be-
tween labor and capital and between
the great corporations and the public.
..1,he supreme court has decided the
employers liability law to be unconstl-
tutional because its terms apply to en-
ployes engaged wholly in Interstate
Gonna .rce as we'll as to employees en-
gagged in interstate commerce. by a
substantial majority the court holds
that the congress has power to deal
4 with the question in so far as inter-
state commerce is concerned.
".As regards the employers liability
law, I advocate its immediate re-en-
actment limiting it's scope so that 1t
shall apply only to the class OF cases
as to which the court says it can con-
stitutionally apply but strengthening
its provisions within this scope. Inter-
state employment being thus covered
nv an adequate national law, the field
of intrastate employment will be left
10 the action of the several states.
With this clear definition of response
bility the states will undoubtedly give
to the performance Of their, duty with
i'm their field the consideration the i'm
portance of the subject demands>>
ri also very urgently advise that d
comprehensive act be passed providing
fo. compensation by the government
to all employees injured in the govern
m.nt service. Under the present law
an injured workman in the employ
m,snt of the government has no rem
edy. and the entire burden OF the ac-
citlent falls on the helpless man, ms
wife. and his young children. This is
arl outrage. It is matter OF humllla-
tiOn to the nation that there should
not be on our statute books provision
to meet and partially to atone for cruel
misfortune when it comes upon man
thru no fault of his own while faithful
" serving the public.
As to Labor Injunctions.
sT again call your attention to the
need Of some action in connection with
the abuse of injunctions in labor cases.
AS regards the rights and wrongs OF
labor and capital, from blacklisting to
boycotting, the whole subject is cover
ed in admirable fashion by the report
of the anthracite coal strike commits
sion, which report should serve as a
chart for the guidance of both legisla-
tive and executive officers. AS re-
cards injunctions, I can do little but
repeat what / have said in my last
message to the congress. Even tho 1t
were possible, I should consider it
most unwise to abolish the use of the
process of injunction. 1t is necessary
in order that the courts may maintain
their own dignity and in order that
..hey may in effective manner check
disorder and violence. The judge who
uses it cautiously and conservatively.
but who, when the need arises, uses
1T fearlessly, confers the greatest serv-
ice up our people. and his pre- e-eminent
usefulness as a public servant should
he heartily recognized. But there is
no question in my mind that it has
sometimes been used heedlessly, and
llnjustly, and that some of the injunc-
tions issued inflict grave and occas-
1onally irreparable wrong upon those
enjoined
1T is all wrong to use the injunction
to prevent the entirely proper and
legitimate actions of labor organiza-
lions in their struggle for industrial
b