Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-05-28
LABOR ASKS MORE
is NOT SATISFIED WITH THE
TWO PROVISIONS IN CLAYTON
ANTITRUST BILL.
PRESIDENT HINTS AT VETO
He Has Refused TO Permit Actual Ex-
emption of Labor Unions From
Application of the Sher-
man Law.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

by GEOH1E CElN | ONr
Washington.-In the omnibus anti
trust bill prepared by Representative
Clayton and his fellow members of the
| Judiciary committee there are two pro-
visions the progress Of which employ
ers and representatives of the labor
unions of the country will watch anx-
iously and for different reasons. One
Of the provisions limits the power of
the federal courts to grant injunctions
in labor disputes, and the other pro-
Yides jury trials for persons in con-
tempt of court.
An attempt probably viii be made to
amend the measures so as to make
them more pleasing to the labor repre-
sentatiVes. If these attempts succeed
and the bills are made as drastic as
labor would like to have them, and if
| the senate fails to eliminate the pro
visions, it seems to be generally be-
lieved that President Wilson will inter
pose his veto.
The tive provisions do not go nearly
as far as labor would ike to have them
go. For years the labor leaders have
tried to secure the passage of a bill
which woa.d exempt she unions from
the operations of TIE Sherman anti
trust law. 1t will be remembered that
President Taft Tatoed a bill which
contained q provision forbidding the
expendituu, II certain government
monies to pay the charges for the
prosecuti2E Of labor unions and farmer
| organizations under the antitrust law.
Mr.. Wilson signed similar bill, but
did 1t under protest.
Labor Interests Want More.
It was believed that in the antitrust
bill which the Democrats were to
prepare there would be a specific pro-
vision exempting labor unions and pos
sibly farmer organizations from prose
cution under the antitrust law. The
presidents warning given last spring
seems, however, to have had its effect,
so the house judiciary committee in
preparing the antitrust bill gave labor
only a part of what it wanted. The
labor interests thought it only small
| part, for they hold that the limitation
| injunctions in labor troubles and the
jury trials for contempt do not consti-
| tute anything like such program as
the workingmep wish to have put into
law
AS has been said, these Clayton anti
injunction and contempt bills are a
part of the general antitrust legisla-
ton. A delegation of representatives
in congress visited the president in an
endeavor to persuade him to urge Mr.
Clayton and his colleagues of the
house judiciary committee to incorpo-
rate more radical provisions in the bill
in reference to injunctions. They
urged that actual exemption should be
given to labor unions from the applica-
ton of the Sherman law. There is
good authority to say that Mr.. Wilson
refused point blank to do what the rep
resentatives urged and it is limited that
he declared he would veto any bill
containing a provision exempting the
unions from prosecution under the
Sherman law if it should come to him
in a form written any more strongly
than the provision as it now stands in
the Clayton bill.
Civilian for Alaska Work.
All the preliminary work of the sur
vey of the Alaskan railroad, which is
to be constructed by the government,
is to be done by civilian engineer,
William c. Edes, assisted by a cav
airy officer of the United States army,
Lieut. Frederick Mears. The build
ing of the Panama canal first was put
into the hands Of the civilians, but
afterward it became necessary to
transfer the work to the engineer
corps of the army. Washington is
asking why a civilian engineer has
been detailed to the Alaska work.
Secretary of the Interior Lane rec
commended the appointment of an en-
gineer from civilian life, and also rec
commended that the young cavalry Off
Ger, Mears, should be named as an as
sistant to the chief engineer. Both
of the appointments were made by
the president, and then there was
curious happening. Lieutenant Mears
called on Secretary of War Garrison
to pay his respects and to report his
departure for duty.
We'll, where are you going?"
ITO Alaska" said the army officer.
who gave you the authority to go
to Alaskan"
1.-THE secretary of the interior" an
swered the young officer, somewhat
abashed.
Its news to me-" said Secretary
Garrison, that the secretary of the
interior has any authority to order
army officers to duty"
Then it was Lieutenant Mears ex
planned he had been designated b
the president, on the suggestion Of
Secretary Lane, and that the presi
dent was given the appointing power
by an act Of congress. Secretary Gar
rison. so it is reported, said: THAT
will do for today"
OVerstspped His Authority.
The army officer walked out of the
Office, and then Mr.. Garrison took up
the law governing the appointments
to the work of railroad construction.
He found that it gave the president
authority to designate for the work