Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-13
SCORES BANK LAWS
Uniform Legislation Urged by
Breckenridge.
CIVIC BODY IN SESSION
Carnegie to Discuss Workingmen's
Compensation Act.
BONUS SYSTEM is ATTACKED
John Mitchell Declares It Is Merely
Old Task-Driving Under
New Name.

NEW YORK, January ia SYM
postum on the need of uniform national
legislation to regulate banking. taxa
ton, insurance, drugs and food, and
the operation of railways and corpora
lions held the attention of delegates
to the National Civic Federation conven-
tion at the openina session of the Sec
ond day of the convention. The report
OF the committee on reform in legal
procedure also was submitted by it's
chairman. Ralph Breckenridge Of
that the court procedure of the United
States was one hundred years behind
the times. deplored THE large expense,
needless delay and other tedious prac-
and urged that steps be taken to
simplify the administration of law.
The recommendations of the committee
are for substantially the same reforms
as those advocated by the American Bar
Association at it's annual session at Chat
tanooga. Tenn. last August.
Carnegie to Speak.
Andrew Carnegie. Theodore Roosevelt
and Tecumseh Sherman are among the
speakers scheduled to discuss The Work
ingmens Compensation Act at this aft
ernoons session.
Former Judge Alton B. Parker, who
presided. declared that the need OF ma
tional uniformity of laws and legislation
had already been demonstrated by the
National Bar Association.
I'VE are one great family Of states,
Judge Parker said, land there Is no need
why New York state should take advan-
tage of the citizens Of California. Mime
sofa or any other state. There is no rea-
corporation law. II there were such a
law. no one state could set loose corpora
lions with charters SO broad that many
other states would not think of granting
them for a minute
John A. Stewart urged that the build
ing of good roads be made a national af-
fair
Unqualified disapproval of the bonus
system seeking increased individual eff
fciency among employees was expressed
yesterday a.ternono by labor leaders be-
fore the federation. Its simply the
same old task-driving system under a
new name. declared John Mitchell.
former president Of the United Mine
grand chief of the International Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers, said that
the railroads had tried the system. found
II failure and promptly abandoned II.
Bonus Project Discussed.
The bonus project was brought up for
discussion by the address of Fl. L. CAN'T,
an industrial expert. He produced charts
which. he said. would show that factory
girls. previously inefficient. had been
trained to a high efficiency by means of
rewards. Mr.. Stone, who followed
promptly attacked the theory. relating in
stances from his own experience as a
locomotive engineer to show that poor
work. not good, was the result of the
system.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers stands for efficiency, but not for
the bonus system" he said. 1T has been
tried. and failed
Roads Need Money.
There will be change in public
opinion il something is not done for
the railroads Of the country he said
The roads need money for develop
ment and improvements and TO meet
modern requirements exclusive Of the
raise in wages Some of the best man
aged roads will be seriously affected
unless they are given relief.
John Mitchell reverted to the bonus
system.
This theory Of efficiency they offer
in their interest" he said. the work
ingmen do not want without further
investigation. IL it is to go on. have
il in the name of the manufacturer.
not Of the wage Garner. We repudiate
it,"
The declaration OF LOUIS L. DTdnueiSs
counsel for the New England shippers.
before the inte state commerce commits
sion that millions could be saved to the
railroads by proper management, also
came In for criticisms by Mr.. Stone.
Il differ with Mr.. Brandeis, he said.
HAS he ever directed railway? Yet
Mr.. Brandeis, who has no TACTICAL ex-
perience of this subject. says the rail-
roads might save half of the waste"
Mr. Stone asserted that the whoie
country was interested in what the in
terstate commerce commission would dc
about freight rates.
The attempt to regulate railroads by
compulsory competition should be aban-
doned, declared Edgar A. Bancroi., attor-
ney for the International Harvester Com
pany. He thought that as the Interstate
commerce commission had been given
ample power to deal with rates, competi-
tive restrictions were futile.
To-day the need Is not for restrictive
federal laws against agreements among
railroads. but specific authority to enter
into all agreements tending toward uni
formity I'm classification of rates and in
rate making, he said.