Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-11-21

HIGH LIGHTS EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT
(ContInued from Paea Oh

ers that win not see the light. that
cling in darkness to the brutality Of
the past, that still do homage to the
tyrannical idea of s'divine RIGHT" IN
rule arbitrary, and that are unmoved
BY labor's appeal for justice. progress.
freedom, and democracy.
Labor and the Courts
Labor proposes to leave the Su-
preme Court Of the United States
with greater power than that
enjoyed by any similar judicial body
OF any other country in the world.
There IS no proposal to touch the
strictly judicial powers of the court,
and even its right to declare and in
terpret the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
within reasonable and constitutional
lmits-is not attempted to be modi-
fed
The proposal Of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor amounts to this:
The Supreme Court at the present
arbiter OF the entire American poll
tical structure. By any amendment
which would divide this final power
with Congress, the Supreme Court
would be deprived Of autocratic power
over the Constitution and the other
branches of the government and con-
fined to strictly judicial functions.
Banking and Credit
We repeat, what was reported a
year ago, that the power and control
of credits are of the utmost impor-
lance in our present everyday life.
Banking and credit are as inseparable
as the life and air. Unfortunately
credit, as now administered, too Of
ten serves to increase unearned in
comes at the expense of earned in
comes and constitutes a burden upon
essential and necessary industry. It
is not anticipated that labor banks
can or will correct this evil. This
can be accomplished only through
properly constituted and efficiently
managed public agency. Labor banks,
however, are nearer approach to the
peoples needs and requirements than
banking institutions dominated by the
atmosphere and practices that pre-
vail in Wall Street. The Executive
Council, however, again warns organi-
zed labor and its membership against
the hasty formation of labor banks
and calls attention to the need of the
most careful investigation and survey
OF all conditions surrounding such
ventures.
Railroad Labor Legislation
Successful conventions of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor have I'M
sparingly condemned the United
State Railroad Labor Board created
by the Esch- Cummins act. Each year
the conduct of the Board and the op-
GRAFTON of this law has amply justi-
fled such condemnation. During the
past year the Labor Board has con-
tinued to increase irritation and dis
cord in the human relations on the
railroads and has continued its policy
of violating the traditions of the in
dustry, of bona fide trade unionism
and of American citizenship.
1t is the intent and purpose of all
of the forces of organized labor and
of promoting industrial peace, to
carry on this fight insistently and
vigorously for the adoption of the
Railroad Labor Board, and the en-
actment of the Howell Barley Bill.
Women in Industry
The problem of organized women
in industry presents perplexing diff
ficulty in that by many of the girls
and women such employment is re-
garded as merely temporary. British
experience indicates that the turn
over in women's unions is nearly COM
plete in five years. This means that
aggressive organizing work in shops
and factories employing women must
be continuous. However, the fact
that these women leave industry does
not mean their influence is lost to the
labor movement. As home-makers,
as the wives of trade unionists, and
in other relationships of life, they have
influence through purchasing, in for
mulating public opinion, and their
use of the ballot.