The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-06-11
AZ. OF |. DEMANDS IMPROVED
 LABOR CONDITIONS IN REPORT

or working conditions, as well as comprehensive outlines of what has been accomplished on labor's behalf during the last year. are set forth in the report of the Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor, now in session to tho officers and delegates attending the annual ses- sion of the Thirty-ninth aun~al con Nenuon.
 The advent of peace is taken by tho council to hold out bright pros poets for labor. Of the Peace Treaty, itself. the labor executives forming the council, after endorsing the ''tri. umph of freedom and justice and de- mocracy as cxemplihed in the covcn- ant of the League of Nauons,' says that tho labor sections arc a comprO- misc but that it must. however. be a source of deepest satisfa Ction to the American working people to know that tho American position and the American decla rationS as presented for insertion in the treaty ranked above all others fin point of progress measured and in point of actual and practical application in the lives of working people. Whatever of com promise appears, was made because of the claim that other nations of the world could not pledge themselves to
  of the standards maintained by the American labor movement as the es- tab1ished practices of our day"
 Foremost among the matters sub mitted by the council to the conven- ton are suggestions dealing with leg islation to prevent any invasion of tho rights and preroEativcs of the leg islativc branch of our government by tho Judiciary" The rcrort of the
 
 accordance with a resolution adopt ed by tho st. Paul convention. In that resolution 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 opposition of the action of the con stitutional convention. they laid hold upon power which they now exercise ' The study has now been partially completed and contains remedial sug- gestions made by Jackson II. Ralston. attorney of the American Federation of Labor. Three propositions are sub ruftted in tho rcpor for the consid- eration of tho convention, each pro- posing that authority of tho Supreme Court to pass upon acts of Congress should be cancelled or abridged.
 Arguments for and against the proposals arc discussed at consider able lenrth, Mir. Ralston giving it as his opinion that, coupled with judicial reforms. there should go hand in hand the initiative and referendum. proportional representation and the preferential 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 "one of the Eravest fundamental questions with which we will have to deal-the preservation of a truly democratic government against what has often been called the 'Aristocracy of inc Robe"
 Considerable attention is devoted by the report to labor legislation. It is said that some rule should be adopted in Congress which would prevent obstructive 1esyisla live meth ods. The report lists among the measures stalled by "the weary waste Cf worthless words in the last Con gres7 and in which labor was es- pecia1ly interested. the appropriat ton bills for the War Labor Board. Unit cd States Employment Agency. wo- men in Industry Service. Working Conditions Service and the Investi- sation and Inspection Service.
 The Executive council suggests that the convention authorize the printing and wide circulation of list of measures in which the American Federation of Labor Is interested among which are the bill forbiddins tmmigrauon for four years during the period of industrial reconstruc- ton. a bill for an old age retire ra.-- the classified service. a bill providin, a minimum wage of three dollars a day for federal employees. Secretary Lanes bill to furnish land for sol Giers and sailors. a bill to give states the same power over the products of convict labor from other statee as they exercise over the products of their own prisons. industrial voca- t4onal education for persons crippled in industry, increased pay for teach CTS. and educational bills designed to end adult iHfteracy in the United States.
 Appropriations for the Departn1 ent of Labor are discussed at some ler>gth. It Is stated in the report that Congress in granting mea gre funds to that department "has failed to in terpret correctly the spirit and trend of present-day development" especial. ly 'at time when there is world wide recognition of the funadmenta importance of industrial problems"
 We maintain," the report con tinues. that the importance of the interests at issue and the faithful loyal service the workers have gfver the government and society have earned for us the right to fair con. sideration in the expenditure of na- tional funds.
 We recommend that Congress bt advised that it is the earnest desire of the organized labor movement anC of all America's workers that the De partment of Labor be provided witt adequate funds for performing the important work which devolves upor it."
 The council recommended to the convention the endorsement of gov ernmcnt ownership of the railroads after setting forth in great detail vari- ous suggestions about the railroads from different sources.
 Discussing what is called the inca packing monopoly" the council quot