Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-03-27
EHEIItSFEsi HEIlgi[EIsfiI ( '' Law Law
Di 8 SO q a. ~
CANNON AND FAIRBANKS TELL
LABOR LEADERS IT WILL
--....a PASS. enc
PROTEST TO CONGRESS
0oMPERs LEADS REPRESENTA-
TivEs OF EIeHTv.sEvEN oiF-
FERENr ORGANIZATIONS.

washington.-Speakcr Cannon and
Vice President Fairbanks Thursday an.
nounccd their belief that the present
Congress will pass an employers liza
bility act which will meet md over
come the unconstitutionality OF the
present law pointed out by tho Stk
prem. Court OF the United States In u
recent decision.
These statements were made unre-
servedly by Speaker Cannon and
gunrdcdly by the vice president. to =
delegation led by Samuel Gompers.
president OF the American Federation
Of Labor. from eishty-scven national
and international trade and labor or.
sanizatio.,s Il and farmers organizations
assembled In u national conference In
this city.
The delegation requested the speak.
er TO lay before the House Of Repre-
scntativcs. through him. n memorial
entitled "I.abor's Protest to Congress"
The scope Of his memorial was sst
forth In the following opening para
graphs:
I'VE. The Official representatives of
tho national and International trade
and labor unions and organizations OF
farmers. appear before Congress TO
voice tho earnest and emphatic protest
OF tho workers Of the country against
the Indifference. II not actual hos
tiiity which Congress has shown tn
ward the reasonable and righteous
measures proposed by the workers for
the aafcguardin. Of their rights and
interests.
In tho nam" Of labor we now urEo
upon ConrrcIs the necessity for imn~
dinic action for relief from the most
grave and fnomcnious situation which
has cv r confronted the workin. people
OF thiH country. This crisis has been
brought about by the application by
the Supreme Court Of the United
States Of tho Sherman antitrust Law
TO the workers. both organized and In
their individual capacity.
Labor and tho people generally
look asaancc at the Invasion of the
court upoa the prcroIntivcR Of the Law.
making and executive departments of
our government
.'rhs workers feel that Congress 10
s~if must share our chaTrin and sense
of injustice when the courts exhibit mn
utter disregard for the real Intent and
purpose OF the laws enacted tn saf~
guard aud protect the wnrkcrs In the
exercise Of their nurtSai activities
There In something ominous In the
ironic manner In which the cuufis
guarantee TO workers.:
The right to bc maImc.i and killed
without III biiiiy tn tho employer.
Tho right TO be discharged TO bc
longing ,o iEbor union.
''Thc rivht to work IN many hours
IA rmploysrr pleas. and under any con
diiions which the, may impose.
Labor is justly indignant At the he
s'owai or the guaranteeing of these
worthless and academic 'rirh'a' by the
courts. which In the same breath deny
and forbil the workers the practical
and necessary protection Of laws which
d-ii.c AMI safeguard their rights ana
liberties and tho exercise Of them indi.
sidualiy or In association"
Tho 'proicA,'' submitted by Mr.. Com
rcrs and his associa,sE-Joacrh y, Val.
-ntinc. eighth vice prcAiirnt q; the
American Federation al Labor: ". Il
Farley Of the United Mine Workers ns
America: G. ~. iiurnc,t Of the Amcri
can Society Of Equity: W. u. Mahon.
president of the AmAiEamaiod Street
and Electric Railway Employees. and u.
J. McArdlr OF the AnIalxama AEHne
citation of Iron and Steel workcrs-f~
fcrs to tho Supreme Court decision ~
the haticTs' case as "thc most recent
pcrsersion Of the intent of a Law by
the judiciary. by which the Sherman
antitrust Law has been made to Apply
to labor. although II was an accepted
fact that Congress did not intend the
Law 10 40 apply. and might even have
specifically exempted labor but fos
fear that the Supreme Court might con.
sirue such an Affirmative provision 10