Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1922-06-23
LABOR FAVORS
ADOPTION new
BASIC LAWS
Altering Constitution OF y.
s. and Restrict Courts In
Dealing With Labor Is
sues the Program.


labor committed itself YESTERDAY
at the American Federation OF La-
Dor convention, to a program favor
ing adoption of four constitutions
amendments. the repeal of the Sher-
man antitrust law and the enact
ment by Congress of two otner
measures for the avowed purpose Oh
curbing the courts, on account Oh
decisions adverse to labor.
A final vote. however, was de-
laved until this morning, so that
delegates might continue to unleash
their feeling against what was des-
cribed by the special Policy Commit
tee reporting the program as
judicial oligarchy that is threaten
ing to set itself up above the legls-
lators and above the people them
selves.
The program is one of amendment
through a congressional veto OF
Supreme Court decisions. the guar
antee to workers of the right to
organize. to bargain collectively ana
to strike, the prohibition of child
labor and the adoption of an easier
method than the present for chans-
ing the federal constitution The
new laws proposed would inter-
rupt sections of the Clayton act
which the committee said the Su-
preme Court "had manifestly ignored
or overridden," and a new enid
labor law that would meet objec-
tions raised by the Supreme Court
in setting aside former cnactments.
Is Noisy Demonstration.
Delegates advocating the program
were greeted with noisy demonstra-
tions and no dissent from the COM
mittee's program was voiced dur
ing debate. Emphasis was placed by
speakers on their statement that
the program is an appeal to the
people, and that it is an orderly
process in defence of labor's rights.
Bitter denunciation of Supreme
Court decisions, however. featured
the debate, as also the committees
report on the program.
The convention adopted resolu
tion favoring an investigation of
Harvard's alleged discriminatory
action which is said to be eontem-
plated" to place ban against ad-
mission of Jewish students. and
the approval of report mad" H'
the Education Committee, which
condemned the Lusk laws of New
York as attempting to censor the
utterances of school teachers.
In reporting it's program for curb
ing the courts the special Policy
Committee declared that the Su
preme Court in particular has un-
dertaken to deprive American labor
of fundamental rights and lber-
ties" and it asserted that series
of such decisions form "a link in
a chain consciously designed to en-
slave the workers of America.
Six decisions of the court in the
last five years were reviewed to
support the contention of the com
mittee, which added that the "des-
potic exercise of usurped power
by nine men or bare majority
of them over the lives and liberties
of millions CT men, women and chill
dren is intolerable."
Jefferson Is Quoted
Further. the report quoted Thom-
as jefferson as saying: "The germ
of dissolution in our federal govern
ment is in the judiciary" and also
Abraham Lincolns statement that
"the people are the masters of both
Congress and the courts" and pre-
sented labor's new program with
this declaration:
eve are determined to preserve
our rights as workers, citizens and
free men, and we call upon all fair
minded and liberty-loving citizens
to unite with us in a determined
effort to deprive the courts Of the
despotic powers which they have
assumed" 7"
Debate Of the report centered
largely on the Supreme Courts re-
cent decision in the Coronado coal
case, which held that labor unions