The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1945-03-15


"The Constitution of the Un
people, equally in war and in peace,
and covers with the shield of it's pro-
lection all classes of men at all times
and under all circumstances"
Quotes Court Definition
Setting forth that the President
and Congress are under oath to up
hold and defend the Constitution, he
said that the labor article, or 18th
amendment, provided:
"Section l. Neither slavery nor in
voluntary servitude, except as pun
ishment for crime whereof the party
shall have. been duly convicted, shall
exist within the United States, or any
place subject to their jurisdiction.
"Section 2. Congress shall have the
power to enforce this article by ap-
propriate legislation"
The Supreme Court, he added, de-
fined the 18th amendment as follows:
"It was charter of universal civil
freedom for all persons, of whatever
race, color or estate, under the flag.
The plain intention was to abolish
slavery of whatever name and form
and all it's badges and Incidents; to
make labor free by prohibiting that
control by which the personal service
of one man is disposed of or coerced
for another's benefit which is the es-
sence of involuntary servitude. There
is no more important concern than to
safeguard the freedom of labor upon
which alone can enduring prosperity
be based"
Cites Congressional Recognition
"The Supreme Court reaffirmed its
attitude as late as April, 1914, less
than year ago." the labor official
said.
Congress-" Ol lander continued,
'has recognized the meaning and sig
nificance of the labor article, or 18th
amendment. Upon the annexation Of
Hawaii, Congress passed the terri
torial act applicable to the Hawaiian
Islands, containing a section provid-
ing that all contracts to perform
personal service or labor for a def
mite period of time were null and
void Congress passed the Railway
Labor Act in which the following ap-
pears: Nothing in this chapter shall
be construed to require an individual
employee to render labor or services
without his consent, nor shall any,
thing in this chapter be construed to
make the quitting of his labor or
service by an individual employee an
illegal act; nor shall any court issue
any process to compel the perform
ance by an Individual employee of
such service or labor, without his
consent
"The United States, by action of
the Senate, ratified the international
anti-slavery treaty, with the reserva-
tion that our republic, because of its
public policy against compulsory
labor, could not agree to a clause in
the treaty permitting forced labor for
public purposes. The War Labor Dis
putes Act, in it's anti-strike section,
contains the following proviso: No
individual shall be deemed to have
violated the provisions of this section
by reason only of his having ceased
work or having refused to continue
to work or to accept employment.
Forced labor is involuntary servi-
tude,'" the state labor leader empha-
sized. "Np person under the Amer-
can flag can be legally subjected to
condition of forced labor regula-
tions except as punishment for
crime whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted
'Can a refusal to submit to con-
dition prohibited by the 18th amend
ment be made crime by an act of
Congress? The Supreme Court an
swers: 1T does not permit slavery OF
involuntary servitude to be estab-
lished or maintained through the OPP
Grafton of criminal law by making it
crime to refuse to submit to the
one or to render the service which
constitute the other"