The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-06-15

ured and in point of actual and pFar-
teal application in the lives of work
! ing people. Whatever of compromise
appears was made because of the
| claims that other nations OF the WseFld
| could not pledge themselves 10 an i'm
/ mediate and definite acceptance ps the
/ standards maintained by the American
| labor movement, as the established
! practices of our day."
| Foremost among the matters subj
omitted by the council 70 the conven-
ton are Suggestions dealing with leg
| islation TO prevent any invasion oc
i the rights and prerogatives OF the leg
[ islative branch OF our government by
/ the judiciary" The report of the eoan-
/ CT on this subject was made in ae-
/ cordanCe with a resolution adopted 10y
the St Paul convention. In that resp
iIution on the council was ordered 10
!'study the successive steps which
/ have been taken ny our federal and SUI
islreme courts olroagh which. wiehaat
constitutional authority and in opposi-
i'tion of the action OF the constitutional
hconvention they laid hold upon power
which they now exercise"
1 The study has low peen paSttdTy
complete and contents remedial spg-
ggestions made by JACKSON II, Ralstop.
.'attorney of thu American Federation
of Labor. Three propositions are Sub
mitted IN the report for the eoIsitlnT1
/. tton of the convention, each proposing
that authority CT the supreme CURT
/ 70 pass upon acts of congress- should
81 cancelled or Al ridged,
Arguments for and against tbs pro-
posaIs are discussed at considerable /
length, Mr.. Halston giving it as his
opinion that, coupled with judicial re-
forms there should so hand-in-h hand,
the initiative and referendum, proper
tionaI representation and the prefer
entail 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 on this subject the
executive council has had before it
lone of the gravest fundamental aues-
tions with which we will have 20 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 adopted
in congress which would prevent
structive legislative methods. The re-
port lists among the measures stalled
by the weary waste of worthless
words" in the last congress and in
which labor was especially interested,
the appropriation bills for the war la
Dor board, United States employment
agency, women in industry service,
working conditions service and In in
vestigation and inspection Service
The executive council suggests that
the convention authorize the printing
cir LOT nF
measures in which the American Fed
Grafton of Labor is interested, among
which are the bin forbidding immigrn-
ton for four years during the period
of Industrial reconstruction, bill Tor
an old-age retirement system for fed
eral employees in the classified service,
a bill providing 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,
industrial education for persons Grip
pied in industry; increased pay for
teachers and educational bills design
ed to end nliteracy in the United
States.
Appropriations for the department
CT labor are discussed at some length.
Tt is stated in the report that congress
in granting mcegre funds to that de-
IA -tTnent has failed to interpret cor
rectIy the spirit and trend of present
day development" especially "at a
time when there is worldwide recog-
milton of the fundamental importance
of industrial problems"
1--WE maintain" the report continues,
af he
at issue and the faithful loyal service
the workers have given the govern
ment and society, have earned for us
the right for fair consideration in the
expenditure of national funds.
we recommend that congress be
advised that it is the earnest desire
of organized labor movement and of
All Americas workers that the depart
ment of labor be provided with ade-
quate funds for performing the impor-
tant work which devoIves upon it"
The council recommended to the
the endorsement of govern
ment ownership of the railroads. after
setting forth in great detail various
suggest ions about the railroads from
different sources.
Discussing what is called the meat
packing monopoly" the council quoted
the report of the federal trade COM
mission to President Wilson and said
that hearings by the house interstate
commerce committee aeemed to show
the existence of a COM
bination which not only controls ard
regulates the prices of beef, lambs,
hogs and other meat. but also eggs,
butter, poultry, cheese. rice, 1ish.
canned goods of all descriptions.
leather and wool" II is then stated
that insofar as this combination re-
stricts the supply and enhances the
cost of these necessar.es, the laboring
+t,a oo,,,fvx1 al a.