The Connecticut labor news., 1922-07-28

inexplicable reason the senator's mood changed and taking copy of the bill and interlining with a pencil, he teurned to me and quietly asked how the bill as he had just amended 1t would suit my views. As the amendments were not in anywise inn portant I told him 1t would now suit my views precisely and he replied that he would have the bill reported out favorably as soon as possible.
 With complimentary allusions to his proposed action I left him in ap- parent good humor
 On the following day the Browns vile tragedy occurred (wherein the negro troops run amuck and shot up the citizens of the town) and this incident caused special meetings of the Presidents cabinet and not a little turmoil in the Capitol How ever, on the following Saturday, after a week of more than ordinary excitement, the bill came out in the Senate with a favorable report, 1t was immediately aclled upon and passed and became law on March 4, 1907, when signed by President Roosevelt.
 The true import of that enactment is well known to judges and lawyers. but not to the public generally.
 It all came about in this way. We were fighting the Louisville & Nashville Railroad teeth and toenan. We had filed information against the officials for violation of Section 10 of the Erdman Act, that part of the law making 1t a criminal offense to dis criminate against an employe on ac- count of his affiliation with a labor al he rest of officials from chief train dispatcher up to the general manager. We had 28 suits pending and con- templated when Judge Walter Evans of the Western District of Kentucky declared Section 10 to be unconstitu- tional in case running parallel with ours but affecting a fireman named Adair. At that same time the law had been held to be valid in the East ern District of Kentucky thus creat- ing a situation that might be de- scribed as an anomaly. What was good law in one judicial district was no law at all in an adjoining judicial district, all according to the temper, environment, or learning of the pre- siding judge. ~
 To rescue all the suits in which we were interested and prevent them from falling by the way side because of the precedent made by Judge progress with the bill that aimed to give the United States the right of appeal in law points in criminal cases. Consequently, I eflt the terri tor yof the Louisville & Nashville Railroad and went to Washington As a preliminary 1 called to see my friend, the late MT. Edward A Nose ley, secretary of the Interstate Com merce Commission, and told him about the situation that had arisen. He suggested that 1 go to President Roosevelt and endeavor to enlist him in the cause, which suggestion promptly availed myself of and called upon him that same day.
 The President expained that he could not do what 1 had requested (that Is to say call for Senator Spooner and confer about the pend- ing bilD for the reason that the sen- ator and he did not agree on that particular bill and many other pro gressive proposals. There being nothing further to do in that direc- ton I went back to friend Moseley. It was there and then agreed that I would tackle the doughty senator myself, but before doing so I went to a senator who was a mutual friend to find out if there was any vulner- able point of attack and in that I was not disappointed And so the confer ence came about that had the effect of vitally changing the jurisprudence of the United States and also of Great Britain, which country immedi- ately followed suit
 The fact that the Supreme Court of the United States sustained Judge Walter Evans decision, and that all our cases against the Louisville & Nashville Railroad fell to the ground on account thereof, constitutes an- other story.
 When I returned to the National Hotel from the interview with Sen ator Spooner the telephone operator old me that MT Moseley had been vas now I o'clock and the day being Saturday, all the departments usu- lily closing at noon, 1 went immedi- ltely to the telephone to ascertain the ,ause of the excitement Friend Moseley was still there and I was greeted with Dear boy, where have 7ou been, don't you know that we are III very much interested in your mfs- ion this morning?"
 After some explanation he said, Say that over again. Did the sem tor actually say that he would have hat bill reported out favorably on lext Monday morning? Won't you ome up here and relate to us just what happened?"
 After getting a bite to eat, I took
 taxi up to his office and found him with group of department officials nd about a dozen lawyers waiting with suppressed excitement. bubbling yer.
 Upon entering the office Moseley ook. me by both hands and said, Did e really say that he was going to 1ake a favorable report? What we're the amendments that he sug- ested? Won't you sit down and tell IS about 1t as nearly word for word =-...ll I =--l.=.