The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-20
Speaker Tells Labor Delegates Presenting Demand for Action That House is
 in Sympathy.
FAIRBANKS MORE RESERVED
LabOr's Protest Asserts That Failure to Alter Policy May be to Invite National Dis.
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non and e-PreSldent FalrDankS dn- nounced their belief to-day that the present congress will pass an employ CTS liability act which will meet and overcome the unconsttutionalities of the present law pointed out by the Su- preme court of the United States in a recent decision.
 These statements were made nnre- servedly by Speaker Cannon, and guardedly by the vice-president to a delegation led by Samuel Gompers president of the American Federation of Labor, from s7 national and interna- tioiial trade and labcr unions and ur- ganizations of farmers assembled in 3 national conference in this city. Tho delegation called on the speaker tc Jay before the house of representatives through him, memorial entitled Ia bors protest to congress. The scope of this memorial was set forth in the following opening paragraphs:
 We the official representatives o1 the national and international trade and labor unions and organization o farmers. international conference as sembled in the District of Columbia fol the purpose of considering and taking action deemed necessary to meet tho situation in which the working people of our country are placed by recent de cisions of the courts, now appear be fore congress to voice the earnest ant emphatic protest of the workers of tn, country against the indifference, if no actual hostility, which congress ha, shown toward the reasonable ant righteous measures proposed by tn, workers for the safeguarding of thei rights and interests.
 Tn the name of labor we now urgv upon congress the necessity for imme diate action for relief from the mos grave and momentous situation whicl has ever confronted the working peo ple of this country. This crisis ha been brought about by the application by the Supreme court of the Unite. States of the sherman antitrust lav to the workers both organized and |, their individual capacity.
 Labor and the people generally look askance at the invasion of the court upon the prerogatives of the law making and executive departments ol our government.
 The workers feel that congress it. self must share our chagrin ans sense of injustice when the courts cx hibit an utter disregard for the req intent and purpose of laws enacted t safeguard and protect the workers i, the exercise of their normal activities There is something ominous in tn, ironic manner in which the court guarantee to workerss
 The right to be maimed and kllet without liability to the employer;
 The right to be discharged for be longing to a union
 sThe right to work as many hour as employers please and under an, conditions which they may impose,
 "Lahcr is justly indignant at the he etowal or guaranteeing of these worth less and academic rights by courts which in the same breath deny an forbid to the workers the practica and necessary protection of law which define and safeguard thei rights and liberties and the exercis of them individually or in associa tion."
 The workers" says the memorial earnestly urge congress to co-operat with them in the upbuilding and edi eating of a public sentiment whicI will confine the judiciary to its prop CT function, which is certainly no that of placing a construction upo law the very opposite of the plai intent of congress. thus renderin worthless even the very moderate ef forts which congress has so far pu forth to define the status of the mos important, numerous and patriotic c our people, the wage workers; tn producers of all wealth.
 Congress is informed in the memor ial that in addition to the revision c the antitrust law 'the most impor, ant measures which labor urges arc The Pearce bill to regulate and linn the issuance of injunctions. the em ployers' liability bill: the bill eS tending the application of the S-hou idN Ib dll EtNfi HifitHA fIiVlVeF-0 those employed on work for the gov ernment by contractors or sub-con tractors
 ''We come to congress" says tn memorial "hoping for prompt an adequate remedy for the grievances C which we justly complain. The psy chologieal moment has arrived for total change Of government polio toward the workers: to permit 1t pass may be to invite disaster eve to our national life.
 "Nhile no member of congress { marty can evade or avoid his or the own individual or party share of re ponsibility. we aver that the party pover must and will hy labor an it's svmpathizers be held primari responsible for the failure to give tf pronpt. full and effective congre sionaI relief we know to be within i nouer