Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1915-09-09

as E0SdTuS DULL uNSSlm0ul anu GA
.penditure of funds.
e. Complete publicity through open
reports to the proper Government Off
Gals
+. Provision that no line of work
(which is not specifically and directly
mentioned in tn earticles of incorpora-
ton, shall be entered upon without
the unanimous consent and approval
of the board. OF trustees, nor unless
Congress is directly informed of such
intention through communication to
the Clerk of the House and the Clerk
Of the Senate, which shall be duly
published in the Congressional Rec
ord, nor until six months after such
intention has been declared.
2. Provision by Congress for the
thorough investigation, by a special
Committee or Commission, of all en-
dOwesd institutions, both secular and
religious, whose property holdings or
|fncome exceeds a moderate amount.
The Committee Or Commission should
be given full power to compel the
production of books and papers and
the attendance and testimony of wit
nesses 1t should be authorized and
directed to investigate not only the
finances of such institutions, but all
their activities and affiliations
3. As the only effective means of
counteracting tNSN influence of the
Foundations, as long as they are per-
United to exist, consists in the activi-
ties of Governmental agencies along
similar lines, the appropriations of
the Federal Government for education
and social service Shout dbe cores
|pondingly increased"
Discussing the difficulties that con-
front wage earners in collecting labor
claims and securing redress for minor
grievances, the report recomm ends
the establishment either by States or
municipalities of industrial courts
similar to those which ahve proved to
be successful in European countries.
It alos recommends that commits
sloners of labor or the industrial COM
missions of the several States should
be directed to- prosecute such claims
vigorously.
Unions and the Law. ID
Discussing the legal status of trade
unions and the law relating to indus
trial disputes, the report says:
z The general effect of the deci-
slons OF American courts, has been to
restrict the activities of labor organi-
cations and deprive them OF their
most effective weapons, namely. the
boycott and the power of picketjng.
while on the other hand the weapons
OF employers, namely, the power of ar
'Dltrary discharge, of blacklisting. and
OF bringing in strikebreakers, have
deem maintained and legislative at
tempts to restrict the employers now
ers have generally been declared un-
constitutional by the courts. Further
more, an additional weapon has been
placed in the hands of the employers
by many courts in the form of sweep
ing inJunctions, which render punish
able acts which would otherwise be
regal, and also result in effect in de-
pr1Vlng the workers of the right to
jury trial.
.. important steps have been tax
en- to deal with this situation by the
enactment OF the Clayton Act. apply
ing to the Federal Jurisdiction, and by
the passage of laws in Massachusetts
and New York which define the rights
OF parties engaged in industrial dis
pufes. The actual effect of the Claw
ton act can not be ascertained until
It has been tested in the courts. bIIt
eminent legal authorities have ex-
pressed grave doubts that it will ac-
comphsh the desired results. AT any
rate, 1t does not seem to remove the
root OF the existing injustice. and
furthermore. In all the States except
new York and Massachusetts the
graVe and uncertain situation already
described exists. This situation must
be corrected
Urge English Act.
There are, apparently, only
TWO lines of action possible: First. to
restrict the rights and powers of the
EMPLOYERS to correspond in substance
% the power and rights now allowed
@ trade unions. and second. to remove
ail restrictions which now prevent the
Lreed0m OF action of both parties to
disputes, retaining only the
ordinary civil and criminal RESTRAINTS
OF the preservation Of life, properly.
ma the public peace. The first method
las been tried repeafedIv and has-faiI-
ad a'sctsIteiy not on heea.ec ST the
Intervention of the courts but becaa-e
ne very nature Of the acts complafn-
q OF on the Uart Of employers (bIack-
lstlng and arbitrary discharge) makes