The Irish standard., 1908-03-28
ACTION IS URGED
ON LEGISLATION
PRESIDENT SENDS IN SPECIAL
MESSAGE DEALING WITH
NEEDED LAWS.
Again Recommends that Congress
Deal with Child Labor, iniunctions,
Interstate Commerce and Anti
Trust Law Amendments.

Washington, Mar. 25.-President
Roosevelt sent to congress Wednes-
day a special message urging action
on certain pending legislation. He
renewed his recommendation of pro-
hibition of child labor. the passage Of
an employers liability law and legis-
lation concerning iniunctions in labor
disputes.
Rate Law Amendments.
| Continuing, the message said:
| l again call attention to the urgent
need of amending the interstate com
MERGE law and especially the antitrust
law along the lines indicated in my
last message. The interstate COM
MERGE law should be amended SO as
to give railroads the right to make
traffic agreements. subject to these
agreements being approved by the in
terstate commerce commission and
published in all of their details. The
commission should also be given the
power to make public and to pass
upon the issuance of all securities
hereafter issued by railroads doing an
interstate commerce business.
A law should be passed providing in
effect that when federal court de-
/ termines to place a common carrier
or other public utility concern under
the control Of a receivership, the at
torney general should have the right
to nominate at least one of the receiv
ors; or else in some other way the
interests of the stockholders should be
consulted, so that the management
may not be wholly re-delivered to the
man or men the failure of whose pol
ton Of the receivership. Receiver
ships should be used. not to operate
roads, but as speedily as possible to
nay their debts and return them to the
proper owners.
Would Amend Antitrust Law.
In addition to the reasons have al
ready urged on your attention it has
now become important that there
should be an amendment of the anti
trust law because OF the uncertainty
as to how this law affects combina-
lions among labor men and farmers,
IL the combination has any tendency
to restrict interstate commerce.. All
Of these combinations, IL and while
existing for and engaged in the promo
ton of innocent and proper purposes.
should be recognized as legal. As
have repeatedly pointed out, this anti
trust law was most unwisely drawn
statute.
The substantive part Of the anti
trust law should remain as at pres
emit; that is, every contract in restraint
of trade or commerce among the
several states or with foreign nations
should continue to be declared file
gal; provided. however. that some
proper governmental authority (such
as the commissioner Of corporations
acting under the secretary of COM
merce and labor) be allowed to pass
on any such contracts. Probably the
best method of providing for this
would be to enact that any contract
subject to the prohibition contained
in the antitrust law. into which It 10
desired to enter, might be hled with
the bureau of corporations or other ap.
propriate executive body. This would
provide publicity. Within, say, 60
days OF the filing-which period could
be extended by order Of the depart.
mont whenever for any reason 1t did
not give the department sufficient
time for thorough examination-the
executive department having power
might forbid the contract, which would
then become subject to the provisions
of the antitrust law, II at all in re-
straint OF trade.
| Labor Organizations.
1t Is important that we should on.
courage trade agreements between EN-.
ployer and employe where they are
just and fair. A strike 10 a clumsy
weapon for nghkiax wrongs done ia