The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-04-18
WELFARE OF THE WORKERS.
Federal Government Through Its Pow
or TO Regulate Interstate Commerce
May Remedy Existing EviIs-Need Of
Comprehensive Legislation.


Comprehensive Legislation.
The stirring words of President WILL
sons inaugural pointed out the "hu-
man cost" of our industrial achieve.
nents and urged that there can be
no equality Of opportunity-the first
essential OF justice In the body polite
III men and women and children be
not shielded In their lives, their very
vitality, from the consequences of
great Industrial and social processes
which they cannot alter, control or
singly cope with"
Can the ma tional government, through
its constitutional power to regulate In
terstate commerce, remedy the condi-
tons the president describes? The
hrst great decision of the supreme
court constituting that power broadly
rame in 1924. After hearing the argu-
ment Of Daniel Webster the court de-
MED the authority of New York state
to grant exclusive navigation rights on
the Hudson river to steamboats, built
under Fulton's patents
Then came a long list of decisions
holding that vessels, crews, bridges
railways, engines, cars, passengers,
freight rates, safety appliances, teie-
graph lines, hours of labor and en-
ployers' liability are subject to national
regulation where Interstate commerce
is involved.
Broad definition Of commerce" has
been followed more recently by deci.
sions that the power to regulate
may cover the prohibition OF evil.
The great railways, steamship lines
and manufacturing and distributing
corporations all do interstate business.
Millions OF men and women are en-
gagged with the railways, the steam
ship lines, the steel companies, the
wholesale stores and the great manu-
:, featuring industries Of the country.
lhany OF these employees work twelve
hours day and seven days a week,
while many other worthy citizens find
it difficult to get any work at all, 30
unevenly Is work distributed.
Is 1t not plain that all these employ
ers and these laborers should have
some more uniform and just rule of
law to govern their relations to each
other and to their work? Should 1t
not be possible to take all the model
laws and from them frame q national
act that will cover the permissible
hours and days of labor for men, wo-
men and children, the permissible san
itary conditions for them, the per-
missible conditions for them as to safe
ty and that will prescribe what COM
pensation shall be received by them
in case of injury or by those who come
after them In case of their death?
Should 1t not be possible to prepare
legislation definite and clear enough to
enable the injured employee or his wild
ow IL he dies easily to determine
what his or her rights are In order
that without the Intervention Of an
insurance company or lawyer fair
settlement may be made with the en-
pbyer? After giving reasonable time
In which to make such settlements and
providing that settlements brought
about by fraud or unfairness shall be
void should not such legislation pro-
vide for a competent adjuster in each
federal district appointed by the judge
who shall take proof as to the facts In
case Of dispute and report to the court
his opinion as to liability? If law
yer or claim agent Is engaged should
not his compensation be subject to the
action Of the court, that the injustice
of a so per cent contingent fee for
merely making settlement or con-
ducting an easy case shall no longer be
possible?
If we had such a statute applying 70
all corporations substantially engaged
in interstate commerce and all such
corporations were compelled to file
within q reasonable time their written
assent to It's terms Of liability or be
prohibited from engaging In Interstate
commerce 1t is not difficult to believe
that an immense amount OF injustice
and litigation could be avoided.
Doubtless such q statute cannot be
drawn In day. 1t will require the
mature consideration Of labor leaders
and employers Of labor and the most
experienced and broad minded counsel
that each can bring to its considera-
ton. There have been objections in the
pact and there viii be objections In the
future to any such legislation because
Of state rights.
Right or wrong, however, the consti-
tuition of the United States, the deci-
slons 70 which we have called atten-
ton and the business conditions Of to-
day have made 1t impossible properly
to settle this broad question by ap-
pealing Hrst to one state and then an
other
In the welfare Of the workers In in
terstate commerce, however, We have
matter Of national concern, and Il
can be adequately dealt with only by
national law. Upon no other basis can
the employers and employees be put
ON equal terms with each other every
where In interstate commerce. II the
relation of employers and employees
to each other in Interstate commerce
10 thus regulated by national law the
. states. in self defense, will be COM