Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-02-03
LOUIS BRANDE|s As A LAWYER
First Won National Prominence
in Ballinger Investigation.
Critic of Railroad Management and
Champion of "Scicntific Manage
ncnt''--Oftep Unpaid Represent
ntivc of Minority Stockholders.

Louis y. Brandeis nominate by Presi- /
dent Wilson to a position on the bench !
Of the United states Supreme Court, |
has been conspicuous in recent years as
a leader of the Jews in the Zionist
movement: as an advocate of radical
social legislation: as n believer, in cor |
tain cases at least. in government own |
ership: as an opponent OF trusts, no AN /
opponent OF increased railroad rates,
and a critic of railroad management; as
champion of Scientific mana cement
as an unpaid representative of minority
stockholders. as II representative of
labor in disputes between capital and
labor, and sometimes as an arbitrator
between the Two.
Mr.. Brande;s first came to be known
throughout the country when in 1909 he
conducted the investigation into the
charges against Secretary of the Interior
Richard A. Ballinger. regarding the
forestry service. 1t was in the course of
this investigation that Mr.. Brandeis OH
tanned the admission that among the
papers which it was presumed President
Taft had considered in his cXoneration
OF Balinger was n report which he
had never seen until after the cxonera-
ton and that the report in question had
been anticipated by some one in the
office Of Attorney-General Wiclersham
to make it appear that it could have
been seen by President Taft before he
took the step Of generating BallinCer,
The disclosures Of this investigations to-
gether with the cxoneraton of BalinCer,
had n large part in the insurgent move
ment in the Republican party which
later produced tho Progressive party.
A striking statement which made Mr..
Brandeis the center of controversy was
his declaration, when he appeared in
behalf Of shippers before the Interstate
Commerce commission in the fall of 1910,
that efficient management would save
the railroads of the country s30p,000,oU
a year; thus making an increase in
rates unnecessary. This statement occa-
stoned a good deal of rdiculc among
| railroad mon committee of western
railroad presidents telegraphcd an offer
| to him to teach them efficiency with
| the privilege Of naming his own salary.
| il ne could show how any measurable
| part of 500 10000 year could hc saved.
, Mr. Brandeis offered to advise the rail
roads without pay.
| FOUGHT BOSTON CORPORATIONS
Before Nj Brandeis became prominent
! in affairs affecting the whole nation he
had made a great reputation in Boston
as representative. unpaid in many
instances. of the public and of the
minority stockholders against public
service corporations accused Of mis-
management and Of eXtortionatc meth
DDS. His greatest success as AN UNI
paid representative of the public was in
forcing the adoption of his plan in l""
| for the merger Of gas companies IN
| Boston. After twenty years of scandal
had resulted in strict State control the
| Boston gas companies sought i'm 1909 to
become consolidated in one concern with
a capitalization of s2400',CO". This sum
| was held by the Public Franchise
| League to he about saH00oo too high.
| After two years of bitter pehtinC tn"
plan urged by MIR. Brandcis was adont-
ed 1t provided for a capitalization
slightly in excess of 100000, 4 "N-ccnt
gas rate and a sliding scale of dNi-
dends under which the companies would
be permitted to add dividends of "n'
per cent. to the seven per cent stock
for each reduction of five cents IN tn"
| gas rate. As a result of TINS TIA" Las
rate in Boston has since dropped to ~
| cents and the stock Of the gas COM
panies is paying nine per cent dividends
AS the representative OF the Public
Franchise League, Mr. Brandeis had in
previous years led the fight which pre-
vented the Boston subways from hccom-
ing purely private enterprise and plac'
cd them under the control OF the city.
In 1905. as unpaid counsel for "A pro-
tectve committee of policyhold"rs, ii
the investigation Of the Equitable Life
Assurance society Mr.. Brandeis draft
ed recommendations Urging tadica
changes to reduce waste. 1t is said thai
Grover Cleveland. one of the newly al-
pointed trustees, gave these rcCommcn
dations to Paul Morton. the incoming
president OF the Equitable, and told hin
that on these principles the reorganiza
ton should succeed. Late" Mr.. Rrandot'
promoted the Savings legislation in Mas
sachusetts I'm 1907 under which insurance
departments were added 20 saving
banks
FOUGHT FOR WOMEN WORKERS.
, Mr.. Brande!s has been one Of the
leaders of the movement for shorter
hours for women workers. As unpalc
counsel for the National Consumers
League he took up the fight to unho'f
the constitutionality of the law passed
i'm Oregon IN 1901 to restrict women
work I'm factories and lallndrics TO tel
, hours a DAY The case OF Mr.. bran
deis was chara cteri2ed by the great
r volume of evidence which he produced
, to prove that n working day moro thar
ten hours in length was SO injurious to
women as to become a menace TO the
community.
Mr.. Brandcis was one OF the aroitra
tors after the strike of 1000 cloak
makers in July. 1910, In New York, and
the co-author with Louis Marshall OF
the peace protocol, which ended th'
strike and laid the foundation for better
relations between employer and empioye
in that industry.
! After the election of President Wilson
Mr.. Brandeis had many warm advocates
for appointment to Il place in the cab
net and before the personnel of tha
body was announced il was reported
that he had been under consideration
Tor appointment as attorney general o.
secretary OF commerce and labor,
In the rate hearings of 1915 and 1917
which resulted in many rises in freigh
rates. although they were less than til,
general five per cent increase which wal
, requested by the railroads, Mr., Brardei
took part as special investigator an'
adviser for the Chamber OF Commerce
His part in the investigation brough