The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-28
LABOR IDEAS GIVEN
FOR CONSTITUTION
G0mpers Submits Suggestions
Approved by. State
Federation.
SUFFRAGE rs ADVOCATED

President Samuel Gompers Of the
American Federation OF Labor said yes
terday that he had submitted the fol-
lowing labor propositions. approved by
the New York Federation. TO the state
Constitutional Convention
IL. That the Constitution contain a
provision that the labor OF a human
being Is not a commodity or article OF
commerce, and that the LEGISLATURE shall
not enact a law ard .he courts shall
not %construe n law contrary to this
decia ration.
80. That any act which any person
may legally and lawfully do shall be
held to be legal when lone by two or
more In concert.
%. That nothing contained in the
Constitution shall be construed to limit
the mower Of the lie gisiature to enact
laws for the protection Of the lives.
safety, comfort or general welfare OF
employees.
~. A provision enabling the State to
insure workers against accident. sick
ness. invalidity. old age and unemploy-
ment.
d. fTONlSlOn lot a stNNe Iunu W
insure employers against risk Of work.
mems compensation. 10 the exclusion OF
every other form OF compensation In
surance.
80. That there shall be a Department
Of Labor and a compensation commits
SION Functions separately provided for
in the Constitution.
80. Empowering the State and its sew
srai political divisions TO undertake such
public works and engage IN such indus
tries as they deem necessary to the
public welfare for the purpose OF re-
lleving distress from unemployment, or
other extraordinary emergencies.
IS. Abolish the power OF the courts to
nullify laws regularly passed BY the
Legislature OF the voters of the state
BY means OF referendum on the ground
OF alleged unconstitutionality.
-. insure the risht Of trial by Jury
In all criminal or Quasi-criminal prose-
cutions where the OFFENCE charged IL
punishable by imprisonment. including
all cases Of contempt of u
10 Provision that the writ Of habeas
corpus shall never be suspended and
that military tribunals shall not e1sr-
else civil or criminal Jurisdiction over
citizens while the regularly constituted
State courts are open to administer Jus
tice.
al. Extension of popular vote and
control of oficiais by the initiative. ref
erenduN and recall.
"12. Provision for the election OF all
Judges. Election to take place at a
time when no other officer N elected.
Ballots to contain no party embiem N.
Candidates to be grouped under titls
OF once.
"i3. Against the abandonment Of the
annual sessions Of the New York STATE
Legislature.
"a. That the terms Of ne elective Of
ncers Of the State Of New York shall
not he extended.
"I5. That the terms OF the STATE Sena-
tors shall be for . period OF one year.
"1S. That ths delesates TO constitutional
conventions b elected 81 . tims when
no other State officials are to be chosen.
and that no patty embiems be used
at such elections.
at. Provision. With q view OF having
the members of the Legislature in a
more Independent position financially.
for the raising of the salaries Of the
members Of the Legislature to an ade-
Quate amount
"ls. Change in the procedure nscss-
sary to PASS q bill (now found In Sec
ton 10. Article I'D. so AZ to take from
the Governor the multiplying of that sec
ttOU DN Iue ubt ~ III u utCoodGc<'
10. Against the State constabulary
and the employment OF private armed
forces in labor disputes. Thai the Gov
ernor OF the State be the commander In
chief OF the army and navy forces thereof.
and that. as such commander. he alone
be empowered to call out any portion Of
the whole Of said armed forces or either
OF them In time Of Desd.
"20. Favoring the constitutional
amendment az adopted by the Legisla-
ture. to be voted upon at the coming
election. for woman suffrage.
"21. That inasmuch as the so.csllsd
short ballot IL a proposition to vest
greater powers In the hands OF the
chief Executive OF the nation. Statss
and municipalities Il In In violation Of
the fundamental principles Of Justice.
democracy and freedom. The PROPOSE
ton should. therefore. not be indorssd
but condemned and opposed.
"22. Free Speech and Free Press
Every person may freely speak. write
or publish his sentiments on all sub
5ects, being responsible for the abuse
OF that right, and no law shall be
passed by the Legislature to restrain Or
nbridge the liberty Of speech or Of the
press. MOI shall n officer or court Of
the State or officer or court Of any pO-
liticai division of the State abridge.
enjoin or restrain the liberty Of speech
pr OF the press. The question as TO
whether the rights Of freedom OF speech
or OF the press have been abused shall
be determined by Jury. In all crimi-
nal prosecutions for libel no person shall
he found guilty n be punished where
the matter alleged to be libeIlous be
true unless the alleged matter was writ
ten and published with criminal motives
and for wrongful ends.
"2s. In all cases OF employment by
and on behalf Of the State or any pO-
litical divisions thereof or In any con-
tract for labor or for supplies by or on
behalf OF the State or any political d.
visions thereof not more than eight
hours in any t~wenty-fOur consecutive
hours shall constitute a days work.
"2+. Provision for the a%bolishing Of
capital punishment; that Is, the death
penalty for crime"