The Connecticut labor news., 1922-12-22
MENACE OF THE COURTS
 CALLED TO ATTENTION
 BY PRESIDENT GOMPERS

American Federation of Labor, at the conference of Progressives called by Senator LaFollette, in Washington.)
 While the history of American political life Is one of party govern ment in which as a rule two major parties have contested for control, 1t must be clear to all thinking men and women tflat' there is terrific influ- ence for Ill iu our country in party do1nination and particularly in the allegiance to party by which many of our people are primarily governed Much of the political evil that we have Known is traceable directly to that unquestioning allegiance by which party obligation is placed above principle and above country. At the present we are entitled to hope that this. blind adherence to political par ties and the equally blind disregard for the principles or lack of principles of thase parties is being broken down.
 Experience has taught us, however, thai in political life we can take but little for granted We must devote unCeasing energy to the task of edu- eating our citizenship to the point of pfacing principles above party allegi- ance in every case. An educated and alert citizenship will know how to restore control of our government to | tie people and will know how to ab- rogate those assumptions of power and how to undo those misuses of power that have cost us so dearly and that have so deeply eaten into the fabric of our liberties.
 Largely because of minimizing loy- atty td political parties our courts have been able to steal away powers which 1t was never intended they should have; and this assumption of power by the Judiciary, wholly un- warranted by the Constitution, is one of the most important causes of the loss of the control of the government by tue people.
 The Judiciary has assumed the power to invaIidate and decalre un- constitutional laws which have been passed By the Congress and which have had the approval of the Presi- dent of the United States This as- sumption of power is not only in di- rect violation of the Constitution but 1t is in conflict with the principles of this government which was intended to be of; by, and for the people of the. United States No matter how the. peoples will is expressed no matter how overwhelming may be the numbers of people committed to the attainment of progressive, construc- tive legislation; no matter if this de- terUlfhation Is expressed in accord ance with the Constitution through the Representatives and Senators in Congress and with the approval of the President; notwithstanding all of this and notwithstanding the fact that the members of both houses of Con- gross may be elected upon the par ticular issue involved, the judiciary has assumed the power and exercises the power to annul the will of the people.
 Tie judiciary has assumed many functions and has exercised much power in conflict with the Constitu- ton of the United States The judiciary exercises the power to curb or prohibit freedom of speech, free dCin of the press and freedom of as seTnhlage. The judiciary has, by this 1InwaTrantably assumed power, through the injunctive process substi- tufed personal discrimination for trial by jury. I say without the slight est possibility of contradiction that the injunctive process as used in la bor disputes is the result solely and entirely of an assumption of power on the part of the judiciary.
 Every powerful government in the history of the world which has aimed at tue imposition of injustice and tyranny upon the masses of it's people and the denial of the rights of the people has had some legal advisor to justify the course that tyrants had in mind
 The Roman Empire fell, not from the attack of savage hordes, that was result. The autocrats of the time first prohibited the freedom of as- semblage. and hence the freedom of speech was destroyed. They had no means of other communication such as We have in the press of modern times. W:th the prohibition of free assemblage and free speech, tyranny and injustice were imposed, one upon the ether. until the people had lost their love for liberty; or, because of their inability to exercise liberty and freedom of expression, when the criti- cal tir1e arose to defend the republic there was no patriotism left and the republic fell an easy victim to the on-rushing hordes.
 It is necessary, if we aim to restore the control of our government to the people, that every attempt at judicial assumption of power or the attempt at legislation to curb or restrain the freedom of assemblage, freedom of speech and freedom of the press must be stopped by every normal and nat ural power inherent in the people of OUT country.
 1t Is necessary for the citizenship of the United States to organize as citizens without regard to political party affiliations or political party obligations. faithful to the Republic of the United States and determined to restore to the people the control of tfle government The will of the people of the United States when ex- pressed through it's representatives in Congress must become the law of the land
 Contributory to the attainment off