Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-12-18
DOES NOT EXEMPT
SUKORY CIVIL BILL CLAUSE
FAILS TO SAVE LABOR MEN
FROM PROSECUTION.
JOHN P. WHITE CASE CITED
President Wilson, Criticised for Sign
inc Measure, Proves He Doesn't
Intend It Shall Hamper De-
partrent of Justice.
Nv GEORGE CLINTON

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington. - President Wilson,
through the department of justice, it
Is said is going to try TO show that
there was foundation for the promise
made when he signed the sundry civil
bill that cases against labor unions &C
eused Of violating the Sherman law
would be prosecuted even in the face
Of the exempting clause which was
contained in that measure.
There was much criticism OF the
presidents action in signing the bill
which contained the clause. It was
called class legislation and it also was
said that in spirit il was unconstitu
tiOnaL The letter Of the law was
made so that it would stand the test
OF constitutionality
There are Of course all kinds of
varying views on the subject of the
wisdom and the right Of congress to
attempt to exempt labor unions and
associations Of farmers engaged in CO.
operative work from the action Of the
Sherman law. President Taft vetoed
as one of the last acts of his admin
istration sundry civil bill which con
tanned the same exemption clause that
appears in the present sundry civil
dill which President Wilson signed
and is now a law The measure as
passed contained this paragraph:
For the enforcement of the anti
trust laws, 100000; provided, how
fI1~ avt If Chan
be spent in the prosecution Of any or
ganization or individual for entering
into any combination or agreement
having in view the increasing of
wages. shortening of hours, or better
ing the conditions of labor or for any
act done in furtherance thereof not in
itself unlawful; provided, further,
that no part of this appropriation shall
be expended for the prosecution of
producers of farm products and asso-
Citations of farmers who cooperate and
organize in an effort to and for the
purpose of obtaining and maintaining
a fair and reasonable price for their
products"
Prosecution of John p White.
Recently Attorney General Mercy
noIds undertook the prosecution of
John p White, president of the Unit
ed Mine Workers Union of America,
on the charge Of conspiring to restrain
trade and commerce. Labor col
leagues of Mr.. White were included
in the prosecution. with the United
States government as the prosecutor.
The funds which were used by attor-
ney general of the White case were
not taken from the money provided
for the enforcement of the antitrust
laws
President Taft was praised for We
toing the appropriation bill which con
tanned the identical clause. After
President Wilson who had expressed
on many occasions disappToval of
class legislation 50 called signed the
bill, the country was surprised, or at
any rate manifestations of surprise
were in evidence in most of the pa
pers Of the country, and were not con
fined to journals advocating the
cause of the Democratic party and
standing staunchly in support of the
general acts of the administration.
When he signed the bill, President
Wilson said: Il can assure the coun-
try that this item will neither limit nor
in any way embarrass the actions of
the department of justice. Other ap-
preparations supply the department
with abundant funds to enforce the
law. The law will be Interpreted in
IS, -
ment shall do by independent, and,
hope impartial judgments as to the
true and just meaning of substantive
statutes OF the United States"
Plan for Alaska Railway.
Almost unquestionably congress is
to order the construction by the
government of a railroad in Alaska.
Uncle Sam will own the railroad
after it is built and it may be that
lie will operate it. In his address
to congress when it met in reg
ular session President Wilson recon-
mended that the territorial road should
be built and administered" by the
government. Administered is taken
generally here as in this case being a
synonym for operated"
tt is likely that a railroad 400 miles
long will be authorized by the eX-
pected legislation. and that the law
authorizing the roads construction
will be so framed as to leave the Ques-
ton of private or government opera
tion to the discretion of the president
OF the United States
The chances are that this first ven
ture of Uncle Sam into the railroad
ownership field will be made under the
guidance of a. law framed largely by
Senator Chamberlain of Oregon and
Delegate Wickersham of Alaska. The
plans Of these two members of con-
gress differ in parts from each other.
but out of the two bills probably will
come the legal plan under which the
government will go to its building
work.
viii Open Up Alaska.
The Alaska railroad bill already
prepared and which seems to have
President Wilson'S approval makes de
tailed pr0vis for the opening of the
interior If Alaska to quick commune
cation with the harbors of the Pacific
ocean. so that agriculture. timber, coal
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