The labor world., 1914-07-04

Declares Associates Have Adopt
ed Theories Of the Socialist
Party.
.. WASHINGTON, July 1. ,Trhes SUI
preme court held today that pipe
lines for conveying oil are common
carriers and a. such are subject tos
regulation by the aInterstate Com 8
serts the right Of Congress to regu-
terstate commerce. Justice McKenna
uttered q vigorous dissent in. which
he intimated that the majority opin-.
ion Of this court yerged on the the
sories OF the Socialists. TodAy's de-
ciston is a blow to the Standard Oil
company, as it compels them to open
up all Of their pipe lines to their
competitors. under rates to be regu-
lated by the Interstate Commerce
commission.
3 The opinion of the court was read,
by Justice Holmes, who admitted
from the bench that the pipe line
amendment to the interstate Com
merce act was undoubtedly passed to
meet q situation created by the Stan
dard Oil compnay's monopolization
OF pipe line. facilities.
= Excnnpts Uncle Sam Company.
The decision exempts from the Law
pipe line owned by the Uncle Sam
Oil company, which runs from the
company's. Oil well in Oklahoma to
To. IN II q
White dissepted to SO much. of the
opinion as exempted the pipe lines Of
the Uncle Sam company, and, Justice
sMcKenna joined him in this dissent.
The decision will not, however, ex-
empt the pipe lines Of the Uncle Sam
company from regulation by the most
interesting cases measuring the power
of Congress to regulate commerce..
The case has been under advisement
q long time, and 9 dissent read by
1 Justice McKenna will give some idea.
OF the struggle that went on In the
conference room over the Issue inAS
syolyed In this case. Justice Nick emma
said It was Of small Consequence what,
the effect Sof ths opinion would be on
{ the dnd dividuAi corp poratie4 ffeeted,;
butt thatsi tsMaa1 % grelt SqaseQuence:
whether the sanction OF property be
impaired #4s
|. S. %. Gets Injunctaop,
The Standard Oil company and its
;substd aries syh hich went into the Com
merce court and secured an, injunc-
ton against the Interstate Commerce;
commission enforcing it's order resu-
lating the pipe lines, has based their
petition for an injunction. on the
ground that the pipe line owners were
being deprived OF their property with
out due process of law.
Justice McKenna proceeded to dis
cuss the rights Of private property.
and the circumstances under which
the government may step In and de-
clare q public use in It.
Dominant In all as giving charac-s
ter to the property. Impressed with a
public use was the fact that It's use
was a voluntary offering blythe own:
er to the pdblic,'' said Justice Me-
HKenna, reviewing the decisions of the
Supreme court relating to- common
carriers. s,5s /! i.#
Are Socialists, says McKenna.
Justice McKenna suggested that ,ln-
der such a decision as that rendered
today q Washington business man
who had provided exceptional faciii-
ties for the conduct Of his business
might be compelled to share them
with competitor. In concluding,
Justice McKenna took q dig at his ass
sociates on the bench for adopting
the theories Of the socialists.'
There Is quite body Of: opinion
which considers the individual own
ership of property economically and
politically wrong and insists u pom
common ownership Of all that is pro-
tit bearing, said Justice McKenna.
This opinion Of the Socialists. has its
cause. among other causes I'm the pow
er-may 81 say the duress --of wealth.
II It accumulates fifty-one per cent OF
power, may 1t put its convictions into
law and Justify TIM welfare, bysad-
vancement of the public welfare, by
destroying the monopoly and mastery
OF separate owH6rship ~
The majority opinion was brief;
Justice Holmes declared that congress
had the power to require those who
are common carriers In substance 70
become 80 In form. He said there
was no question whatever as to the
right Of congress to regulate lines
built in the future. SssSs.
WOMEN sTR rol
RACE B1TTERMElSfz I
GENEVA, July 1Ths swiss so-s
ciety Of Public IIttlity for Women,