The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-25
Antitrust Law Should Permit
Beneficent Combinations.
AMEND THE SHERMAN ACT
President Urges Immediate Rs-enactrnent
Of Employers Liability Act Drawn
to Conform With Recent SUI
preme Court Decision.

legislation affecting capital and labor
The message j.:
10 the senate and House OF Repre-
sentatRes.
call your attention to certain
measures as TO which think there
should he action BY the congress before
the close OF the present session. There
IL ample time for their consideration
As regards most IL not all Of the mat.
ters. bills have been introduced into
one or the other Of the two houses,
and II IL not TOO much to hope that ac-
ton VIII be taken one way or the 9th
er on these bills at the present session.
In my message at the opening of the
present session and. indeed, in various
messages TO previous congresses have
repeatedly suggested action on most Of
these measures.
To Prohibit Child Labor.
Child labor should be prohibited
throughout the nation. At least q
model child labor bill should be passed
for the District Of Columbia. II is IN.
fortunate that In the one place solely
dependent npon congress for its leg
islation there should be no law what
ever TO protect children BY forbldding
or regulating their labor
Employers Liability.
I renew my recommendation for the
immediate re-enactment OF an en-
ployers' liability law, drawn to con-
form to the recent decision Of the sli-
prene court. Within the limits indi-
Gated by the court the law should be
made thorough and comprehensive.
and the protection 1t affords should
embrace every class Of employee 10
which the power OF the congress can
extend
In addition to liability law protect
ing the employees Of common carriers
the government should show It's good
faith by enacting a further law giving
compensation to It's own employees for
injury or death incurred Ia its service.
IT Is q reproacb to us as nation that
III both federal aud state legislation
we have afforded less protection to
public and private employees than any
other industrial country Of the world
Use Of Iniunctions.
also urge that action be taken
along the line of the Recommendation
have already made concerning in
functions in labor disputes. No tenn
porary restraining order should be IS
sued BY any court without notice, and
fine petition for permanent injunction
upon which such temporary restrain
ing order has been issued should be
heard by the court issuing the same
within a reasonable time say, not TO
exceed a week or fhereabouts from the
date when the order was issued 1t Is
worth considering whether II would
not give greater popular confidence in
the Huagialify Of sentences for con-
teinl 4 was required that the issue
shora be dc led By another Judge
than the one issuing the Injunction,
except whore the contempt Is commit
ted Ia the presence Of the court OF fl
other case Of urgency.
TO Leeaiize Traffic Agreements.
! again eall attention 10 the urgent
need of amending The interstate com.
merce law ana especially the antitrust /
law along The lines indicated IN my
last message The interstate com
merce law should be amended so as to
give railroads the right to make traffic |
agreements, subject 20 these agree /
ments being approved b. the inter-
state commerce commission and pub /
llshed IN al Of their details. The com
mission should also be given The power
to make public and to pass upon the 7
Issuance Of all securities hereafter
Issued by railroads doing an interstate
commerce business
Reform In Receiverships.
A law should be passed providing In
effect that when a federal court de.
to place a common carrier or
other public utility concern under the
control OF q rceeivership the attorney
general should have the right to nom
mate at least one of the receivers. or
Else in some other way the interests
# the stockholders should be consult
a so that the management may not
be wholly redelivered TO the man or
men the failure Of whose policy may
ave neeessitated the creation OF the
Receiverships should be
used, not TO operate roads. but as
speedily rs possible to pay their debts
md return them to the proper owners.
Combinations Of Farmers.
In addition TO the reasons 1 have al
'eady urged on your attention. it has
low become important that there
should be an amendment Of the anti
rust law because OF the uncertainty as
o how this law affects combinations
lmong labor men aud farmers. II the
combination has any tendency to re
ifrict interstate commerce. All OF
hese combinations. If and while ex
sting for ~ ! engaged IN the promo.
len Of innocent and proper purposes
houid be recognized as legal As
lave repeatedly pointed cut this anti
rust law was q most unwisely drawn
tatute II was perhaps inevitable
hat in feeling after the right remedy
be first attempts to provide such
houid be crude. aud it was absolutely