The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-19
SENATOR ROOT ON UNIFORM LAWS Live Address Is Made Before
 the Civic Federation JOHN MITCHELL SPEAKS John Hayes Hammond Declares That Fatalities in Mines Can Be Great
 Iy Reduced By Raising the
 Safety Standard.
JOHN MITCHELL SPEAKS

Washington, January B-Two features marked the sessions of the Civic Feder- ation today. One was the unexpected speech of Senator Root and the deep interest displayed by leaders in the la Dor world and the representatives of those who hire labor to compensate em- ployes for injuries received.
 Senator Root, who was not on the pro- gramme, astonished the conference when he suggested the creation of a commits sioners' court to draft uniform laws in conformity with suggestions made in the conference of the Civic Federation.
 The discussion of compensation for ac- cidents brought into the field of speak, CTS Samuel Gompers, John Hayes Ham, mond, John Mitchell, August Belmont and George M. Gillett.
 Mir. Gompers. president of the Ameri- can Federation of Labor, declared that the European mine owner had a better conception of the case of his employees and the operation of his plant than the American man. He laid down as hard and fast rule that the industry in which a man was employed should bear the burden of that mans injuries sustained in the course of his work.
 John Mitchell, vice president of the National Civic Federation, followed in much the same strain.
 ''The working men of the country said MT. Mitchell, "are now asking that the laws be made uniform for they are uniformly bad. What we are asking for is that you enact the laws now in force in Europe relative to compensation for accident. We want the money due to ; the injured man paid at tine time of his accident and not after he is dead. We are killing more men in America in mines than in any other country in the world and reports show that the fatalities are increasing every year.
 John Hayes Hammond voiced the be- :! lief that the number of fatalities in mines could be reduced more than S5 per cent by raising the standards of safety. He said there was mined in the United States in 1908 about 500,- 00G,000 tons of coal at a cost of 2450 human lives.
 August Belmont of New York de- clared that Labor will be attracted to the states affording it the fairest and safest protection and the employer would be protected in the advantage to himself"
 John Williams, international factory inspector, said that "commercialism crowds out generous impulses" in dis cussing uniform labor laws. Senator Wainwright. member of the commit tee on labor of the New York senate, pledged himself to report some kind of bill for compensation for accidents winch was received with rounds of ap- plause, in which MT. Gompers and .ar. Mitchell joined enthusiastically. The morning session was devoted to papers on banking laws, control of cor porations, taxation and road and auto mobile laws.
 Resolutions were adopted covering the recommendations of the commits sioners on uniform laws and calling upon the governors of the states now in session in this city to urge the en- actment ofA the negotiable instruments act; the warehouse receipts act; the sales act; the bills of lading act, and the uniform divorce act.
 Judge Alton B. Parker appointed the following committee to present the resolutions to the house of govern ors:"
 Seth Low of New York, Frederick Lehman of Missouri, Charles E. Libbey of Maine, Walter Georgesmith o1 Pennsylvania, Peter w. Meldrim oi Georgia, Rome c. Brown of Minnesota Howard D. Rogers of Connecticut. John L. Richberg of Illinois. and Amasa Ea- 1 ton of Rhode Island.
 The convention at a late hour ad- journed until tomorrow at 10 o'clock.