LABOUR IN AMERICA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 178, 23 April 1908, Page 7

LABOUR IN AMERICA.

New York, April 21. VEILED THIIEATS.. , i" OT TELECEAPIi— PRESS ASSOCIATION—COrYIIIGIf'i, Labour conferences in New York, Chicago, and olsewhero have adopted resolutions containing veiled threats of political retaliation against all candidates for executive, legisla-. tive, and judiciary offices who are - indifferent or hostile to the claims of labour. THE CLAIMS OF LABOUR. "It becomes increasingly evident"'(writes the American correspondent of the Sydney 'Daily Telegraph") that the closing months of President Koosevelt's administration are to be marked by a zealous effort on his . part to modify .the legal status' of. labour. Ho is plainly dissatisfied with recent decisions of tho Courts, suoh'as tho one declaring the illegality of tho boycott, another affirming the right ofrailroads to'discriminate against m'embors of labour unions, in the mattor of employment, another denying the constitutionality of tho employers' liability law, and overthrowing of thd law reducing tho hours of bakers to eight instead of tho 12 and 14 which constitute for many ot' them a day's labour Ho believes that judges aro too prono to maintain too rigidly tho'old-fashioned right of private contract, and foresees some sort of social upheaval.if judicial practice is not made to conform with greatly altered social conditions; for tho labouring man to-day is not in a position of financial independence which enables him to protect his interests under free contract—much less tho labouring' woman. Take the caso .of an 18-yoar-old girl employed in a factory of one of the great cities of tho country, which rcecijtly figured in a Court docision. She was terribly injured by machinery which' had no safety appliances, in defiance of tho statuto requiring them, and sued her employer for damages. Tho highest Court in New York State held that she had the 'right' to assume the risk of injury, and donied her claim for damages. So the baker, working at his underground oven M hours a day, has tho ''right' to continue at' that killing labour, or look for another job." 'Since tho above was written, Congress lias repassed the Employers'- Liability Hill in a form that should enablo it to. pass the Courts.

ENFIELD 15 H.-P. MOTOR CAR. : To discrTmtnato is to decide. This wellknown model is repleto with all those refinements nvliich road experience can suggest, nnd which critical drivers , desire. Gate System of Change Speed Gear. Metallic Multiple Disc Clutch. Simple Control. Unique Accessibility. .Provisions for Easy Adjustment. A Car ,of the First Class, Popularly Priced. New Zealand AgentsTNGLIS BROS., Willis Street, Wellington. Telephone Nob. 101 D, 2411, 27U, P.O. Box 08., Garage. Harris Street, Wellington. Branch Depot at ClmstchuKh.—Advt.