Friday, February 3, 2012
LAD #31: Wilson's 14 Points
Wilson responds to the losses that the Allied Powers suffered when Russia left the Eastern front during World War I. He first notes that the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk allowed the Russians to cowardly leave Britain and France fighting on the western front as it made peace with Central Powers. Wilson - seeing the treaty as a protection of the public to some extent - questions why Russia would concede to such a treaty that allows the belligerants to keep hold of all occupied territory Wilson infers that this concession does not justify Russia's protection of the public and advocacy of democracy, and he argues that this event is a misrepresentation of peace - the world only knows of it from Russians and Germans perspectives and revelations. Because of the uncertainty of the preservation of global democracy, Wilson declares that the US must take part in the war, and ensure the protection of the citizens of the world. In his argument, Wilson presents points to further the future allowance of democracy, calling for: an end to international secret treaties; global freedom of the seas; removal of economic barriers; colonialism and imperialistic ideals; the occuptaion of territory in Russia, Belgium, and France; Italy's territorial designs; the occupation and end to a lack of peace organization in Austria-Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro and the other Balkan States; the lack of soverignty in the Ottoman Empire and the unallowance of ports; the end of the territorial possession of Poland;and finally the lack of an international committee (Wilson proposes a "League of Nations" be developed).
LAD #30: Schneck v US
A Basic Summary of the Case
During World War I, Charles Schenck mailed circulars to draftees, which advocated the belief that drafts are evils brought by America's capitalist system. The circulars pleaded with the draftees to petition against drafting by repealing the Conscription Act. For his actions, Schenck was indicted with the charges of conspiracy criminal obstruction and insubordination. The Court ruled against Schenck - despite his apparent protection of free speech in the first Amendment - because they claim that Schenck cannot be protected in this situation. As a result, the Court now finds that "the character of every act depends on the circumstances". When speaking for the Court's reasoning, Court Justice Oliver Holmes claims that when a person has "a nature as to create a clear and present danger" and attempt to bring about "substantive evils", it is up to the government to intervene. Therefore, based on the now created Espionage Act of 1917, certain liberties can be disregarded during times of war to ensure peace and prosperity for the nation.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
LAD #29: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act
A 1900 census revealed that approximately 2 million American children worked in menial and monotonous labor. The census report - which from a subliminal sense also reveals that these children are poverty stricken as they need work - opened America's eyes as the people pushed for labor reforms (which was deemed as a detriment to the future welfare of society). The first child labor bill, the Keating-Owen bill of 1916, claimed that the government's should impliment the income from interstate commerce to regulate child labor. The act also went to the extent of banning the sale of products from any storefront that employed underage children. The Act was passed by Congress and ratified, but the Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional 1918 as it disparagingly went beyond government's powers to regulate interstate commerce. In response, a second child labor bill was passed in 1918, which also took advantage of government taxation to regulate child labor. Expectedly, this was soon found unconstitutional in 1922, as the Court reasoned that “The power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce does not extend to curbing the power of the states to regulate local trade.” The public was undeterred, and with time, an amendment was proposed that would justifiably give Congress the power to regulate child labor. Surpassing disputes and conspiratorial cabals, the actions for an amendment to protect child welfare culminated into the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938. The Supreme Court would again call out the wrongs of the act, but with time (1941), the Court declared it would uphold the act, which is still in effect today.
LAD #28: Wilson's Inaugural Address
In his 1913 inaugural address, Woodrow Wilson claims that a great change has overtaken the government. This change - he recognizes - is that the senate, house, and the presidency itself has come under the rule of the democratic party. Wilson attributed this success of the party with the growing desire for change and reform among the people of this country, as conflicts and issues had been brought about by the Progressive Era - notably by the actions of Republicans - through Roosevelt and Taft.Wilson praises the Americans for their recognition of such action and their ability to see with moral clarity, and he attributes this behavior to America's growth and success: it grew into a leading world power over the past 150 years.
However, Wilson also mentions that such actions taken in the road to success also have their consequences and casualties. For example, Wilson claims that industrialization has become an epitomy of debauchery and corruption - which has brought about terrible atrocities to the working class - and tariffs posed on the common man violates the nation's protection of civil liberty and the basic principles of taxation. This, coupled with the increasing agricultural-commodity oriented issues of the time, proves - as Wilson argues - that the government needs to intervene and become the enforcer of justice yet again. By doing so, one is ensured equality regardless of socioeconomic standing - thereby creating indemnible rights in the more modern, capitalistic business oriented world. Wilson concludes by asking the people to aid this movement, hence modifying the economy for the greater good and general will of the people.
LAD #27: Clayton Anti-Trust Act
the 1914 Clayton Anti-Trust Act was ratified to further the US government's stand against the corrupt and deplorable businesses of the Industrial Era. Its original purpose was to further the Sherman Anti-Trust Act of 1890. However, it quickly overshadowed the Sherman Anti-Trust ACt as it prohibited exclusive sales contracts, local price cutting to freeze out competitors, rebates, interlocking directorates in corporations capitalized at $1 million or more in the same field of business, and intercorporate stock holdings. The act was in support of the struggling labor unions and agricultural workers, as they were - in a basic sense - exploitend by hierarchy's trade restraints and implications. To a further extent, the act restricted big business from having dictatorial control over the common man, and gave the worker the ability to legally strike, picket, and boycott. In this defense, Congress declared upon ratification that “the labor of a human being is not a commodity or article of commerce.” Later amendments were passed in succession to maintain the act's strengthen, such as provisions against unfair price cutting (1936) and intercorporate stock holdings (1950).
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