The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-01-31
PRESIDENT URGES
ACTS TO help
WAGE-EARNER
IN HIS MESSAGE he ASKS lEoie
LArloN coMPENsATINo FEpERs
Al EMPLOYEES iNJuRED IN
THEIR WORK.
R0o6tWLT5 Rtpn 70 TIE
QTlG OF ADMINISTRATION

Tho federal government does not
scourae Sin. II does bid dinners tear
for Il has put behind the barn with
impartial severity the powerful nnan-
cier, the powerful politician, che Rich
land thief, the rich contractor-aIls no.
matter how high their station, a0nlnee
whom orimlnal pIsdeeds can -
proved"
RECOMMENDED.
Immediate rc-enaetment Of the en-
ployers' liability act. limiting lts ocopo
90 that II shall apply only to the claeo
Of cases 20 which the court Gays u can
constitutionaIIy apply, but strengthens
Ing Its provisions within IL scope.
41
The passage Of q comprehensive aot
providing for compensation by the
government 20 all employees injured u
the government service. The loSw
should apply 20 al iaborsrs, mechsn-
Ice and other civilian employees Of tho
government, including those In the
service Of the Panama canal commits
sion and Of the insuiar povsrnments.
The same broad principle should uIej-
rnatsiy be made applicable % all psl-
vate employers.
That the law recommended BY &C.
rotary Taft, providing for cnmpaAnGs
ton to employees Injured In ths work %
the Isthmlan canal and asIeInu for IN
appropriation Of 100000 for this pur.
pose, be passed and that Z spsoIat ht1
be paced covering the case q Yard.
master Banton.
That congress give careful consl1.
Grafton 20 the subject Of the abuso ~
lnjunctIons In labor troubles, q ~
some way Of remedyine the abuses -
not found. the feeling Of IndIonation
against them among large numbsrs ~
our cItIxsns will tend TO grow % ~
treme AZ TO produce q revolt against
the whole uss o. the process ~ Injune.
tion."
That there should be measures taxi
on TO prsvsnt at ieast the nroeoee
forms q GAMBLING Ia securitisA xEd
lcomEnodltieA ''s's S'
WASHINGTON Jan. 31.--Preaident
Roosevelt sent his special message %
congress today. In It he makes new
recommendation regarding the en-
ployers' liability law, abuse OF injunc-
tons In labor troubles and restrio-
tons In stock gambling. He calls az
teatieH to the aHtFHtAfalHess Of lie
Standard OIL Co. and the Santa re
railway and fiays the rich wrong
doors. even more pitilessly than Il
his former message to this congress.
The presidents message Ia. In part, -
follows:
Tho recent decision OF the supreme
court In regard to the employer La
bility act, the experience OF the inter-
state commerce commission and OF
the department of Justice In enforcing
the interstate commerce and anti
trust laws, and the gravely signincant
attitude toward the law and its ad-
ministration recently adopted by cor
tain heads Of great corporations. rem
der 1t desirable that there should be
additional legislation rs regards Ger
tain OF the relations between labor
and capital, and between the great
corporations and the public.
The supreme court has decided tha
employers liability law to be uncon-
stitutional because its terms apply To
employees engaged wholly In intra-
state commerce az well a. to en-
I Pieyes -eHgased- In Interstate COM
merce. BY q substantial majority the
court holds that the congress has pow
er to deal with the question insofar -
Interstate commerce Is concerned.
| AS regards the employers liability
law. advocate its immediate re-enactr
ment, limiting Its scope 80 that II shall
apply only TO the class OF cases a. TO
which the court says II can constitu-
uonally apply, but strengthening it,
provisions within this scope. Inter-
state employment being thus covered
by an adequate national law, the held
OF intrastate employment will be Left
| TO the action OF the several states.
With this clear definition OF rsspon-
sibility the states will undoubtedly
give to the performance Of their duty
within their field the confederation
the Importance Of the subject D..
mands.
also very urgently advise that .
comprehensive act be passed prOvid-
ing for compensation BY the govern
ment to all employees injured n tho
government service. Under the proS
emit law an injured workman In tho
employment OF the government has no
remedy. and the entire burden OF the
accident falls on the helpless man, bis
wife. and his young children. This
is an outrage. II n . matter Of hui
initiation TO the nation that there
should not be on our statute books
provision TO meet and partially atone
/ for cruel misfortune when II comes
upon a man through no fault OF bis
own while faithfully serving the pub
lie. In no other prominent indus
trial country In the world could such,
gross injusticeN occur: for almost al
civilized nations have enacted le&is.
latlon embodying the complete recog-
milton OF the principle which places
the entire trade risk for industrial
| accidents (excluding, OF course. acct
dents due to willfnl misconduct By
the employed on the industry ~ rep
resented by tho employer. which II
this case IL tho government In ~
these countries the principle applies 70
the government just as much - 70 tho
tprivate employer Under no cifeazz-
stances should the injured employs OF
his surviving dependents be required
to bring suit against the governmeo<s
nor shcnld there ~ the FeaaiFeunof