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Show GREAT LEGAL BATTLE IS ON I Supreme Court Justices Interrogating Inter-rogating Both Sides on the Adamson Bill. ROADS ATTACK LAW Justices White and Brandeis Ask Many Questions to Draw Out Argument. Washincton, Jan. 9. The great legal battle over constitutionality at fhe I Adamson law continued in the su preme court today with attorneys for both sides frequently beinc interrogated interro-gated from the bench by the justices The attack of the railroads upon the law was practically closed and tomorrow the government lawyers will make their final arguments in its defense. In presenting the railroads' cas Walker D. Hines. the railroads' chief counsel, laid stress on the argument that the law Is not constitutional regulation reg-ulation b congress of interstate com- nierce. but merely a wage fixing stat-! stat-! ute He denied that congress had the right to fix wages and that there is no analogy between rail and wage fixing Chief Justice White and other justices jus-tices frequently interrupted him. Justice Jus-tice White's questions were apparent. ' 1 designed to draw out argument re-! re-! gardlng the comparative authority of congress to prescribe wages as well as rates. "Can congress authorize the Interstate Inter-state Commerce Commission to fix railroad wages''" asked Justice Day. Mr. Hlnes replied it was doubtful unless wages were abnormally low jand should interfere with transportation. transporta-tion. Asking if the brotherhoods' wage contracts were fixed prior to r13. Justice Brandeis said: "Shouldn't this court take judicial notice of the fact that there has been a great Increase in the cost of living Since these wages weer fixed0" Mr Hines answered that the fact "would not justify the court in hold-ling hold-ling that evil existed which would jusfj-fy jusfj-fy congress In exercising a power even if It had that power." "If there is no power there, there j can be no justification for Its attempt-I attempt-I ed exercises," the chief justice observed. ob-served. Congress Has No Power. "Congress has no power to prescribe pre-scribe wages because they had no substantial relations to safety and efficiency ef-ficiency in this case.' replied Mr. Hines. "The direct object was for the bene, fit of the particular cases," he continued con-tinued ' Any effect on public interest is incidental." "Then you argue that It Is a regulation regu-lation of wages and of private relations rela-tions betwepn employes and employers remote from service0" asked Justice Pitney. "It is a most remote consideration of commerce." Mr. Hines added. He I said that the law would undoubtedly cause increased rates. rr |