The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-21
 THE LIABILITY LAW
 SENT T0CONGRESS Most Advanced Piece of Lia-
 bility Legislation TAFT ADVOCATES BILL Would Relieve Courts of Vast Amount
TAFT ADVOCATES BILL
Would Relieve Courts of Vast Amount
 of Work and Assure Railroads Immediate Adjustment of All Damage Claims

Washington, February 20-Presideni Taft today submitted to Congress the re- port of the employers liability commis' 1 sion and the commissions proposed em- i ployers' liability and workmen's compen' saton bill. accompanied by message urging the enactment of the measure which is the most advanced piece Of H. liability legislation yet presented. The President sets forth that the pro !. posed law not only would insure to em- ployes of railroads engaged in interstas; Rcommerce quick adjustment of their claims |ffor damages, but also would relieve the slcourts of a vast amount of work and en lsable them to administer judicial affairs 3with greater dispatch.
 3 Hopes Act Will Pass VI q sincerely hope that the act will pass, says the President. 'I deem 1t one or the great steps of progress toward satisfac tory solution of an important phase CT the controversies between employer ans employe that has been proposed within the last two or three decades" The main provisions of the measure arc sketched in the message. and ther Mir Taft takes up and disposes of three op- \ ieettons that have been advanced by ;ts opponents.
 Tn the first place." says the President k.the question arises whether under the #provisions of the commerce clause, the labll could be considered to be regula- #tion of interstate and foreign commerce That seems to be already settled by the decision of the supreme court in the em- ployersH liability case, s...
 Act Is Valid
 "The second question Is whether the
 making of these remedies exclusive anc
 the compelling of the railroad companies
 to meet obligations arising from injuries
 for which the railroad would not be liable
 under the common law, Is denial of the
 due process of law which Is enjoined upon
 Congress by the fifth amendment to the
 constitution in dealing with the property rights This question the report takes ur and in an exhaustive review of the au-
 thorties makes clear as it seems to me
 the validity of the act It is sufficient to say that the argument of the commission is most convincing to show that the police power of the government exercised in the regulation of interstate commerce is quite sufficient to justify the imposition upon the interstate railroad companies of the liability for the injuries to it's empioyes on an insurance basis
 ''The third objection is that the right of trial by jury, guaranteed by the seventh amendment, is denied As a matter of fact, the right is preserved in this act by permitting a jury to pass on the issue when duly deDIanded in accordance with sthe limitations of the act.'
 Alludes to Injustice
 President Taft then alludes to the al leged iniquities attending personal injury Litigation. He declares that prejudicsd testimony. emotional juries and badly con- structed laws, limiting liability, have tended to hamper the administration oi exact Justice while the heavy expense of litigation has rendered it almost i'm possible for the poor man to command his rights.
 In referring to the condition of the courts because of this form of litigation the President says:
 y "The administration of justice today is clogged in every court by the great num- Der of suits for damages for personal in- ,jury The settlement of such cases by this system will serve to reduce the bur den of our courts one-half by taking the cases out. of court and disposing of them by this short cut