The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-04

" UICcStblf MASS AliA 0i-i ASH+nSi'
Taft defined his railroad and labor poll
eies to-day in a speech in Mechanics
Hall before an audience of several thou
sand railway trainmen. who were at
tending a joint convention OF the brother
hoods in the train service, which had
been in session for several days.
Mr.. Taft spoke for about an hour and
discussed freely the union labor situation
and the pending legislation in Congress
affecting railroad men. Labor organiza-
tions, he said, were necessary and he
was for them.
Organization is necessary, he continued.
among railroad employees in order that
they may be upon an equality with
their employers. Mr.. Taft also defended
the injunction as an equitable remedy
against unlawful injury. but he added
that not only he but his predecessor.
Theodore Roosevelt as well, believed the
power to issue injunetions should be lin
tied, so that injunctions should not be
issued except upon proper grounds.
The audience cheered when Col. Roose-
velt's name was mentioned.
Pending Bill Good One.
The administration injunction bill now
pending in Congress. he said. is a good
bin and should be enacted. The President
declared that he stood with members of
the Railway Trainmens unions in ep-
posing the boycott and sympathetic
strikes He admitted that he did not know
whether Congress will enact his anti
injunction bin. but added that there are
two good reasons why 1t should be passed,
One was that it was promised by the
Republican party in It's last national plat
form and the other was that the measure
was a step in the right dfFSctlon.
Mr. Taft took a shot at the insurgents
in Congress who are opposing his pro-
gramme OF railroad legislation because
he conferred with railway presidents be-
fore framing the measure.
Visits His Aged Aunt.
During the morning the President spent
several hours at Minbury. where he Wis
tied his aunt. Miss Della c. Torrey He
crossed the Blackston River, where he
used to 90 in swimming He went to
divine service at the Second Congrega-
tional Church, accompanied by Miss
Torrey, Horace >. Taft. his brother. and
Capt. Butt. After church, the President
returned TO the Torrey residence for
dinner
At l o'clock President Taft. accOmpa-
MED by Gov. E. 5 Draper. of Massachu-
setts and Mayor James Logan. of
Worcester, entered automobiles and mo-
tored TO Worcester. Following the Pres
idents motor ear was an automobile
parade through the streets of Worcester
The parade was led by several compa-
MES Of Massachusetts militia The line
of march was decorated by bunting and
flags and thousands of persons thrOnged
the sidewalks. At one Of the downtown
corners an old woman dressed In mourn
ing attempted to reach the Presidents
car. She was restrained by a policeman.
Mr.. Taft reached Mechanics Hall short
ly after ? o'clock. The audience broke
out into loud cheers when the President
walked upon the rostrum and took a
chair in the center of the platform. He
said. in part
Puts Equality Above Ethics.
IT believe in labor organizations. and
If I were skilled enough to become a
member ] should apply for membership.
Tie fact IS. 7 believe I am an honorary
members of the Steam Shovelers' Union.
But in spite Of that and in spite of my
sympathy with organized labor 1 put
above them, above everything, The right
OF every man to labor as he will, TO earn
the wages that he will. and, if he chooses.
to stay out OF labor organizations That
is the stand that the President OF the
United States must occupy
Labor must organize to be on an
equality with employers ard the capital
that its employers have. It has shown
in the past that by such organization
and by proper methods it can secure the
wages to which it is entitled. II can
secure an increase when the market is
going up and earnings are increasing.
and it can prevent the too hasty reduc-
tion when earnings are falling of and
business IS becoming light. 1 therefore
seized the opportunity to come here be-
cause I am glad always to discuss the
questions that affect labor. They come
10 Congress. and We must consider them.
They are some OF the most important
economic questions that we have
working Man Must Succeed.
II leok into the faces of labor organi-
cations. than which there are no more
intelligent or better organized trades
unions in the world. and know that it is
al the hands OF the intelligent organiza-
tions that the cause of labor is to
triumph. 1t is when labor organizations
are not guided by intelligence and con-
servatism that the cause OF labor suffers
and with the suffering of labor suffers
the entire community.
In the first place. the labor organi-
cation is a tremendous power. and so Is
the organization OF capital This whole
age is full of organization. We permit
capital to organize in great concentrated
plants. We furnish the artificial entity
called the corporation in order that It
may act as an individual, on the one
hand, and we allow labor organizations
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