Daily Kennebec journal., 1912-02-21
PRESIDENT TAFT
Submits Report Of En-
pI0yers Liability Conn.,,
With Employers Liability and
WoTkmen's Compensation Bill.
Expresses Sincere Hope That the
Bill Will Pass.

Washington, Feb. 20-Preside TAFT
today, submitted To Congress the re-
port of the employers liability COM
mission and the commission proposed
employers liability and workmen's
compensa tion bin, accompanied by a
message urging the enactment of the
measure, which Is the most advanced
piece OF liability legislation yet pre-
sented. The President sets forth thar
the proposed law not only would in
sure 10 employees of railroads engaged
in interstate commerce quick adjust
ment of their claims for damages, but
would also relieve the courts of a vast
amount Of work and enable them TO
administer Judicial affairs with greater
dispatch.
Il sincerely hope that the act will
pass" says the President. i deem
il enc of the great steps of progress
toward a satisfactory solution OF an
important phase of the controversies
between employer and employe that
has been proposed within the last Two
or taree decades"
The main provisions OF the measure
ere aketched in the message, and then
Mr.. Taft takes UP and disposes or
vanced by its opponents.
In the first place" says the Prcsi-
dent the question arises whether. un-
der the provisions Of the commerce
clause. The hill could be considered to
he y regulation Of Interstate and for
cign commerce. That seems 10 be al
ready settled by the decision OF the
supreme court in the employers liabil-
itY 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 he liable under the common
law, is denial of the due process o.
law which is entoined upon Congress
Inv the fifth amendment To the cOnsti-
tntion in dealing with the property
rights This question the report takes
UP. and in an exhaustive review of the
authorities makes clear as il seems
IL me, the validity of the acs. 1t is
sufficient 10 say that the argument al
the commission is most convincing To
show that the police power of tho
government exercised in The regulation
al interstate commerce is quite 81 III
ciert To justify the imposition upon
the interstate railroad companies Of
the liability for the injuries to its en-
ployes ON an insurance basis.
The sthird objection is that The right
OF trial by jury. guaranteed by the
seventh amendment. is denied. As
matter Of fact, the right rs preserved
in this act by permitting jury TO
pass on the issue when duly demand
ed, in accordance with the limitations
OF the act"
President Taft then alludes to the al
legged inquiries attending personal in
jury litigation. He declared that per-
iured testimony, emotional juries and
badly constructed laws limiting liabil-
itv have tended To hamper the ad-
ninistrqtion of exact justice while the
heavy expense of litigation has rem
dereC il almost impossible for the poor
man to command his rights.
In referring 10 the condition OF the
courts because of this form OF ltiga-
ton. the President says:
.The administration of justice, to-
day. is clogped in every court by the
great number of suits for damage for
personal injuries. The settlement OF
such cases by this system will serve
TO reduce the burden of our courts one
half by taking the cases out of court
and disposing OF them by this short
cut"
The message concludes with the re-
iterated hope that the bill may be
passed before the adjournment of the
procanr session of Congress