New-York tribune., 1919-06-10

Ilohs, written into the treaty OF peace,
must meet with the unqualified ap-
proval and support of the American
working people," says the council. "It
IS not perfect document and perfec-
tlon is not claimed for it. 1t does, how
ever, mark the nearest approach to
perfection that ever has been reached
in the international affairs of man.
kind 1t provides the best machinery
yet devised for the prevention of war.
1T places human relations upon a new
basis and endeavors to enthrone right
and justice instead of strength and
might as the arbter of international
destines.
ut is, we feel, we'll to recall the
adoption of the Constitution of our own
Federal government in the early days
OF It's life. Perhaps no document in
the history Of the world was more
attacked, criticised and opposed than
was the Constitution Of the United
States when first it was formulated
and adopted by the Congress. On sew
eral occasions that constitution has
been amended, yet no one would pre-
sumo to say, because of these amend
ments, that the constitution was not
good when it was adopted or is not
good to-day.
Can Be Amended
Opportunity is afforded for amend
ne"v. TO the covenant Of the league of
Aations in order that the human family
Nay from time to time make such I'M
provements as may be needed and may
SO readjust its guiding rules of con-
6-e~ a. to make for the highest good
OF all the world. We declare our inS
oorsel.ent of the triumph of freedom
ana Justice and democracy as exempli-
fla the covenant of the league of
i 'ior-.
e labor section of the treaty as
- spi ~ in it's final form is, of course,
cUn-l.r ~ Use. 1t must, however, oe a
o''4.. of deepest satisfaction to the
sj~'e:lcan working people to know that
oF'' American position and American
~claraclons as presented for insertion
the treaty ranked above all others
Ia point Of progress measured and in
?olnr o. actual and practical applica-
slor IN the lives Of working people.
nate or of compromise appears was
mact because of the claim that other
nations of the world could not pledge
themselves to an immediate and def,
mite acceptance Of the standards main
tanned by the American labor move
ment as the established practices of
our day."
The Supreme Court shall retain it's
Jurisdiction to declare unconstitutional
acts of executive and inferior judicial
powers in excess of legislative author
ity and like Jurisdiction over acts Of
state legislatures, including acts of
commissions; and the state courts
shall possess and retain power to pass
upon the constitutionality of the acts
OF counties, cities. towns and admin
lstrators Of whatever nature.
"The Supreme Court Of the Uaitcd
States, in the exercise of it's iuris-
clctlon to declare an act of the State
Legislature of any state or Federal
agency, including the judiciary, to be
unconstitutional, shall only do SO bv
the acqucscence of considerable moro
than bare majority OF it's members;
that, for instance, three fourths OF the
entire membership Of the courts should
concur to such end, and the like re-
quirements shall hold as to the high
est courts of the states"
With these 60 approval of the mia
tive and referendum.
Touching on the formation of
labor political party, the executive
council indorses and reiterates the
declaration against such party made
by MIR. Gompers in New York on De-
a hor l.. Il
federation.
THE address," says the council, "ex-
presses the judgment of the Executive
Council to protect and to promote the
best interests Of the workers and of the
labor movement of America. 1t con-
forms to the letter and spirit of the
provisions Of the constitution of the
American Federation of Labor, Article
III, Section 8:
Party politics, whether they be
Democratic, Republican, Socialistic,
Populistic, Prohibition, or any other,
shall have no place in the conventions
OF the American Federation of Labor
"While local and central bodies and
state federations may enter into the
political field, either independently or
otherwise, it is not within their prov
ince to form or become part of a ma
tlonal political party"
Referring to the failure of the last
Congress to pass bills in which labor is
interested, the council recommends
various reforms in Congressional pro-
cedure.
"The failure of Congress to function
at critical times" says the council,
could be avoided by reasonable amend
ments to the rules of procedure, such
as: A stated date after which no new
bills should be introduced except those
which contain an element of emergency:
each committee required to hold hear
ings and report within q reasonable
time, say 30 days after receipt, on all
measures referred to it; each measure
not of an urgent nature to take it's
place on the calendar and be acted
upon in order; each speaker to confine
himself strictly to the subject under
discussion and be given a reasonable
time limit; proper method of cloture."
The need of an adequate national
Il