The Washington herald., 1922-06-22
Demands Amendments to
Constitution to Protect
Right to Organize.
AIMS TO REPEAL
ANTITRUST LAW
Would Grant Congress
Authority to Veto De-
cision of Tribunal.

CINCINNATI, June 21.-Labor's
convention reached its big point
today.
1t launched a campaign for sew
en- measures of Constitutional
amendment and Congressional leg
islation designed, in the words of
trainers OF the program. to re
store the government to the hands
of the people"
This program contemplates a
shearing of the Federal courts
from the Supreme Court down-of
the bulk of their power, and fur
ther, the facilitating of labor's gen.
eral program by making 1t easier
to amend the Federal Constitution.
Formal adoption of the program
went over until tomorrow because
of a series of long speeches in
support of it. Not one speaker OPP
posed it. and indications were that
it would be unanimously adopted
with tremendous enthusiasm.
Outline of Program.
The program was drawn up by
a special committee, headed by B.
NJ. Jewell, president of the railroad
employees department. A. F. of L.
Here are the items as enumerated
by the committee in it's formal re-
port
AR amendment to the Consti-
tuition prohibiting the labor of chill
dren under the age of 16 in any
mine, mill. factory. workshop or
other industrial or mercantile es-
tablishment, and comforting upon
Congress the power to raise the
minimum age below which children
shall not be permitted to work. and
to enforce the provisions of the pro-
posed amendment by appropriate
legislation.
''2-An amendment prohibiting
the enactment OF any law or the
making of any Judicial determina-
ton which would deny the right to
the workers to organize. to deal col
lectively with employers. to collec-
lively withhold their labor and pat.
ronage and induce others to do SO
"3-An amendment providing that
IL the Supreme Court decides that
an act of Congress Is unconstitu-
tional, or by Interpretation asserts
a public policy at variance with the
statutory declaration of Congress,
then II Congress by a thirds
majority repasses the law, II shall
become the law of the land.
Provides Easier Amenrment.
An order to make the consti-
tuition mre flexible to meet the
needs of the people. an amendment
providing for easier amendment of
the same.
The committee further recon-
mends that in conjunction with the
campaign for the adoption OF the
suggested constitutional amond-
NETS. Congress be urged to enact:
"A child labor law which will
overcome the objections raised by
the Supreme Court to the laws here
tofore passed.
"B-A law which will make def
rite and effective the intention of
Congress in enacting sections s,
10 and 20 of the Clayton act, which
was manifestly overridden or ig-
nored by the court.
CA law repeating the Sherman
antitrust law. which was intended
by Congress to prevent illegal COM
binations in restraint of trade, but
through judicial misinterpretations
and perversion has been repeatedly
and mainly invoked to deprive the
toiling masses of their natural and
normal rights. This program, the
committee recommended. should be
made the basis of a national cam
paign, into which the executive
council of the A. F. of L. was In
structed to invite persons and as
ssciations interested in any or ali
the above recommendations for the
purpose of obtaining advice, assist
ance and cooperation
The committee declared that the
people are facing "a crit
ical situation" that their very
existence as a democracy and a gov
ernment of law is at stake" because
of a judicial oligarchy. threatening
to set itself up above the elected
legislators, above the people them
slves."
The report then cited all the re-
sent Supreme Court decisions held
Continued on Page Ttoo.