The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-05-01


peal to Supreme Court to Enforce It's |
Decisions.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-The pres !
ence OF Governor Henry J. Allen in |
v ashington has caused national leaders
TO study not only the act creating |
the unique court Of Industrial relations, |
which he put through the Kansas egisla |
tufe last January, but the accomplish |
mants OF the court since its organization |
Statements made by the members Of the !
governors party as well as those BY im-l
partial observers, who have gone to the J
Snniiower state to investigate the work
lngs OF the court, have, greatly interested
the national leaders, who are aware that
70 date neither capital or labor has evolved
plan which both will accept as the basis
| ter peaceable and automatic adjustment
Of their differences.
Right now interest in the Kansas law
hes m the novelty Of the experiment and
the ambitious principle upon which it Is
based The law is an anti-strike law in
tile sense that it makes it a crime to con-
spine to interrupt production Of the nee
esssnes ct lie through arbitrary shut
downs on the part Of the employers in
such industries, or strikes and walkouts
on the part Of the employees. 1t
does not undertake. and specifically dis
ayows, the purpose to prohibit individual
workers from quitting their employment
whenever they see fit. But to the organ
4 n. a k.rI41
court created by the law" says Judge W.
| i. Higgins, who presides over the court
offers labor a defence and a weapon
which makes the old weapon Of the strike
unnecessary We offer it d legally cons
, stltated tribunal composed Of impartial
Judges and all the machinery to give free
md eyen-handed justice, with power to
enforce against the employers the duty
If paving a fair wage, Of granting fair
I hours Of labor, and good, moral and health
tul surroundings while their employees
are engaged in that labor: and the bill
!. says 50 IN 50 many words. When yot
have given labor that and surrounded
/ with the full protection If the law. yol
llaye got the same right to take away thu
II weapon Of the strike that Won had, in max
II ing a Law to prevent me from earryin,
II concealed pistol And in giving laho
II ,uch protection Kansas has gone farthe
II toward the establishment Of industria
II peace, farther 10 insure labor a fair Il
H ward, farther to insure every laboring ma
H the right and ability to bring up his fan
II iiy, educate his children. and give Their
H good, moral surroundings than any stat
II ! nation ever has gone iii the history I
H he world.
no of
vestigatc conditions as to wages, capita
II eturns or other matters affecting II
H production Of industries coming within i
Il jurisdiction. On complaint Of either part
- II Of ten taxpayers Of the communit
,here the complaint originates, or Of Il
ttoney general of the state. the cou
may. after proper hearing arbitrari
fix wages, order improvements in workir
conditions and hours Of labor, establis
= ules and practices for the industry. an
establish minimum scales Of wages tn;
q IRE Just and reasonable. As a guide {,
III lie court in these matters, the act pr
III alaims il to he necessary for the publ
/ welfare" that wages in such industi
| | shall be fair, that the workers shall ha,
| healthful and moral surroundings, al
HI that capital shall be allowed a fair raj
| af return on its investment. The rigl
III # collective bargaining is recognized, su
Ill icct to the nublic's interest in the bargain
III reached. Where the court meets with +
HI fasal to obey IFS mandates, it is given a
III thority to institute proceedings in Il
| snpreme court Of the state to compel col
uliance. Similarly parties dissatisfied wit
It's DEGREES may appeal to that tribuna
All such eases are given precedence ov
| cvil~tases Employers are prohibited fro
III schareing employees for appearing befo
tho court as witnesses, and workers a
III prohibited from the Use Of the boycott
III picketing or other means of coercic
s@ainst the corporation obcying the ma
III dates Of the court Industries are nr
Ill hbited from conspiracies to restrict the
III output to enhance prices, and may cea
III operations altogether only with the co
III sent of the court The court may ev
III fix rules for the management OF the ndl
III Try in order to promote greater ethcienC
II Where the public interest appears to {
III ~and it, the court may take over, WI
Ill due compensation, any industry
" gagged in supplying necessaries. Throus
cut the act runs the theory that the pt
. tic shall be the party of the first part
az all disputes arising before the court,
the extent that its interest is first to