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Show RAILROADS MUST USE SAFETY APPLIANCES WASHINGTON, Feb. 9. Attorney-General Attorney-General Moody has Issued a letter of instruction in-struction to all United States attorneys requiring a strict enforcement of the safety appliance laws enacted for the promotion of the safety of the traveling public, as well as for the protection of employees. In this letter the Attorney-General cites the decision of the Supreme court of the United States in Johnson against the Southern Pacific company, involving the construction of the "automatic cr coupler act." and calls attention to the rulings of the court that locomotives are comprised within the term "any car." as i' ed In the act; that the act forbids the use of cars which cannot be coupled together to-gether automatically by impact, the object ob-ject being to obviate the necessity of going go-ing between the ends of cars to. couple or uncouple them, and that the act applies to cars used In Interstate commerce, whether empty or loaded. The Attorney-General adds: "It does not appear that any question can now arise as to the proper Interpretation of the law, since thks decision apparently settles set-tles every disputed point. "The Government is determined upon strict enforcement of these statutes, which were engaged for the promotion of the safety of the traveling public in general as well as for the protection of railway employees. Therefore, any case of violation which Is brought to your attention at-tention by the Interstate Commerce Commission Com-mission or Its Inspectors, or by other parties, par-ties, must be promptly and carefully investigated, in-vestigated, and suit for the statutory penalty be Instituted and earnestly pressed, if in your Judgment the facts Justify thrft course." |