Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-21
TAFT URGES BILL
TO AID EMPLOYEES
President Submits Report Of En-.
ployers' Liability Commission
and Proposed Law.
NSURES QUICK ADJUSTMENT
Courts Would Be Relieved Of Vas
Amount of Detail Work.
TAKES ADVANCED STANDPOINT
Measure Deemed Great Step in Solv
ing Labor Problem.
BILL Is NEEDED BY SOCIETY
Opponents of the Measure and
shows the Benefits of the
Proposed Law.

WASHINGTON, d. G.. Feb. 0.-Presi'
dent Taft today submitted TO congress
the report of the employers liability com
mission and the proposed employers
liability and workmen's compensation bill
accompanied by q message urging the
enactment of the measure, which is the
most advanced piece OF liability legisa-
tion yet presented. The president sets
forth that the proposed law not only
would Insure TO employees OF railroads
engaged in interstate commerce quick
adjustment Of their claims for damages
but also would relieve the courts OF a
vast amount OF work and enable them 10
administer judicial affairs with greater
dispatch,
~ sincerely hope that the act will pass. -
says the president. Il deem It one OF the
great steps Of progress toward a satisfac-
tory solution of an important phase OF
the controversies between employer and
employe that has been proposed within
the last two or three decades"
Argument for the Measure.
The main provisions Of the measure are
sketched in the message and then Mr..
Taft takes up and disposes OF three OBJ
jectlons that have been advanced by Its
opponents.
I'm the first place" says the presI-
dent, The question arises whether under
the provisions OF the commerce clause
the bill could be considered TO be a .eg-
ulstion OF interstate and foreign COM
meree. That seems to be already settled
by the decision of the supreme court in
the employers liability case.
The second question is whether the
making Of these remedies exclusive and
the compelling OF the railroad companies
to meet obligations arising from injuries,
for which the railroad would not be la
HE under the common law. IL denial
OF the due process OF law which is en-
Joined upon congress by the fifth amend
ment TO the constitution In dealing with
the property rights This question the
report takes up and In an exhaustive re-
view OF the authorities makes clear. as
IL seems to me. the validity OF the act
II Is sufficient to say that tile argti-
ment Of the commission Is most con-
vlhcing to show that the police power
OF the goyernunt exercised In the Tegu-
lation OF Interstate commerce Is QUITE
sufficient to justify the imposition upon
the interstlte railroad companies OF the
liability sor the injuries 10 Us employees
on an insurance basis.
THE third objection is that the night
Of trial by tury. guaranteed by the sew
enth amendment. is denied. As a matter
Of fact the right is preserved IN this act
by permitting jury TO pass on the issue
when duly demanded. in accordance with
the limitations OF the act"
why the Law is Needed.
President Taft then alludes to the al
legged iniqultics attending personal injury
litigation. lie declares that pertured tes-
timony. emotional Juries and badly con-
structed laws limiting liability have
tended to hamper the administration OF
exact justice whils the heavy expense Of
litigation has rendered II almost impos-
sible for the poor man to command his
rights. In referring to the condition OF
the courts because OF this form Of lltiga-
tlon. the president says:
The administration Of justice today Is
clogged In every court by the great num-
Der Of suits for damages for personal
injury. 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 shortcut"
The message concludes with the reiter-
ated hope that the bill may be passed
before the adjournment Of the present
session OF congress.