New Britain herald., 1919-06-09

the st. Paul convention. In that res
olution the council was ordered to
study the successive steps which
have been taken by our federal and
supreme courts through which, with
out constitutional authority and in op-
position of the action of the constitu-
tional convention, they laid hold upon
power which they now exercise" The
study has now been partially complet-
ed and contains remedial suggestions
made by Jackson H. Ralston, attor-
ney of the American Federation of
Labor Three propositions are sub
mitted in the report for the consider
alton Of the convention, each propos-
ing that authority of the supreme
court to pass upon acts of congress
should be cancelled or abridged
Arguments for and against the pro-
pOsals are discussed at considera BILE
length, Mr.. Ralston giving it as his
opinion that, coupled with judicial re-
forms, there "should go hand in hand
the initiative and referendum, pro-
portional representation and the pre-
ferential ballot" without which, he
says, methods Of attaining justice will
lack much of completeness"
This section of the report closes
with the statement that the writer is
convinced that in this subject the
executive council has had before it
lone Of the gravest funda mental ques-
tons with which we will have to deal
the preservation of a truly demo-
cratic government against what has
often been called the 'Aristocracy of
the Robe"
Considerable attention is devoted by
the report to labor legislation. 1t is
said that some rule should be adopt
ed in Congress which would prevent
obstructive legislative methods The
report lists among the measures
stalled by 1.-The weary waste of worth
less words in the last congress in
which labor was especially interested
the appropriation bills for the war Ia
Dor board, United States Employment
Agency, Women in Industry Service
Working Conditions Service and the
Investigation and Inspection Service
The executive council suggests that
the convention authorize the printing
and wide circulation of list of meas
ures in which the American Fedora
ton of Labor is Interested among
which are the bill forbidding immi-
grafton for four years during the peri
Cd of industrial reconstruction, a bill
for an old age retirement system for
federal employees in the classified serv-
ice, a bill providing a minimum wage
of three dollars a day for federal en-
ployes, Secretary Lanes bill to fur
nish land for soldiers and sailors. a
bill to give states the same power
over the products of convict labor
from other states as they exercise over
the products of their own prisons, in
dustrial vocational education for per-
sons crippled in industry, increased
pay for teachers, and educational
bills desiged to end adult illiteracy in
the United States.
Appropriations Discussed.
Appropriations for the department
of labor are discussed at some length
It is stated in the report that congress
in granting meager funds to that de-
partment has failed to interpret cor
rectly the spirit and trend of present.
day Development especially "at
time when there is world wide recog-
milton of the Fundamental importance
Of industrial problems"
I'VE maintain the report con-
tinues, that the importance of the In
terests at issue and the faithful 10y
al service the workers have given the
government and society, have earned
for us the right to fair consideration
in the expenditure Of national funds
I'VE recommend that congress be
advised that it Is the earnest desire of
the organized labor movement and Of
all Am erica's workers that the depart
ment of labor be provided with ade-
quate funds for performing the i'm
portant work which devolves upon it."
The council recomme ended to the
convention the endorsement of gov
eminent ownership of the railroads.
after setting forth in great detail vari-
Gus suggestions about the railroads
from different sources.
Discussing what Is called the meat
packing monopoly" the council quot
ed the report Of the federal trade COM
mission to President Wilson and said
that hearings by the house interstate
commerce committee Seemed to
show conclusively the existence of
com bination which not only controls
and regulates the prices of beef, lamb,
hogs and other meat but also eggs,
butter, poultry, cheese, rice, fish, can
ned goods Of all descriptions leather
and WOOL
1t is then stated that In so far as
this com bination restricts the supply
and enhances the cost of these neces-
sarles, the labOr1ng people of the
country are adversely affected and the
matter becomes one of vital concern
to the American Federation of La bor."
1t is charged in the report that the
packers during the war shortage Of
leather, when it was difficult to fur
nish shoes for soldiers boarded such
quantities Of hides that it was impos-
Brief sketches are given by the
council of the progress of legislation
dealing with tax exemption for CO.
operatives, national war housing,
proposed amendments to the seamen's
bill, initiative and referendum, convict
labor workmen's compensation, gov
eminent emDI0Ves DaVmeDtS and