Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1924-09-13
LABOR RECORD OF HON.
JOHN W. DAVIS !.
Democratic Candidate for President

i Inc attitude OF Hon. John w. Davis
throughout his entire career has been
favorable to labor. AS a young law
yer, more than 20 years ago, he vol
unteered his services to defend strik-
ing miners who had been arrested for
::unlawful assemblage, riot, and incit-
ing to riot, ETC." at times when his
home community was dominated by
big coal corporations and it was an
unpopular thing for any lawyer to
undertake.
When Mr.. Davis came to Congress
in 1911 he took an active interest in
workmens' compensation Legislation
and assisted in securing the passage
of the measure through the 62d Con-
gress. It passed both houses but too
late to even get into conference. At
the beginning Of the 63d Congress he
re-introduced the compensation bill,
H.R. 81, with certain amendments and
made an argument in favor of the
measure on June 81, 1913.
In the GID Congress he prepared
the final draft of the anti-injunction
and anti-conspiracy features of the
Claytonanti-trust bill for presentation
to the committee. On the 14h day of
May, 1912, he made an extended speech
in which he dealt exclusively with the
anti-injunction features of the bill,
presenting in an able manner the a
buses of the writ complained Of by
labor, the remedies that the bill pro-
posed, and defended their constitu-
tionality. M
On July 9, 1912 he made speech
in Congress defending the merits of
the bill to provide trial by jury in
contempt cases where the alleged con-
tempt did not occur in the immediate
presence Of the court and mode a
strong legal argument sustaining the
constitutionality of the measure.
In~1916, as Solicitor General of the
United States, he defended the consti-
nationality Of the Adamson Eight
hour law before the Supreme Court
and pushed the case with such vigor
that the Supreme Court decision was
reached within six months after the
passage Of the bill.
On November %, 1923, he appeared
before the Supreme Court of the
United States to defend the rights of
the Window Glass Workers Union and
the Window Glass Manufacturers As
ISOLATION to enter into collective bar
gain in which the number of months
that the factories should operate was
specifically set forth. He won the
case and in making his oral argument
gave an Interpretation Of section Of
the Clayton act, entirely in line with
the Interpretation placed upon it by
labor.
Mr.. Davis in his speech of accept
ance confirmed the attitude he has
long held when he said:
"The right of labor to an adequate
wage earned under healthful condi-
tons, the right to organize in order
to obtain it and the right to bargain
for it collectively, through agents and
representatives of its own choosing,
nave been established after many
years of weary struggle. These rights
are conceded by all fairminded men.
They must not be impaired either by
injunction or by any other device. The
Democratic party, however, goes a
step beyond this. Its attitude has
been well described as one inspired
neither by Difference on the one hand
nor by patronage on the other, but
by sincere desire to make labor part
of the grand council of the nation, to
concede it's patriotism and to reorgan-
ize that it's knowledge of it's own
needs gives it right to a voice in all
matters of government that directly
or peculiarly affect it's own rights.
This attitude has not changed; it will
not change. Democracy in govern
ment and Democracy in industry a.
like demand the free recognition of
the right of all those who work, in
whatever rank or place, to share in all
decisions that affect their welfare"
This record discloses life long at
titude favorable to labor and is sup
ported and fortified by the fact that
in all of his public career not single
word is cited, or can be cited, antag-
onistic to the rights of labor.
I have personally examined and
verified this record and know it to be
correct.
w. B. WILSON.