Kansas' Court

Governor Jonathan M. Davis of Kansas was well pleased with the decision of the U. S. Supreme Court, which declared against the Kansas Industrial Court, (TIME, June 18). He believes that it offers him an opportunity for an achievement which was not otherwise possible--the abolition of the Industrial Court. . Former Governor Allen (Republican) of Kansas, whose child the Industrial Court is, was swept out of office at the last election, although all the rest of his ticket was elected. Governor Davis, who made opposition to the Industrial Court one of the chief issues of his campaign, was the lone Democrat elected. In spite of his election. Governor Davis could not abolish the Court-- the legislature was entirely in the hands of his opponents. Now the Supreme Court has shorn the Industrial Court of much of its power, Governor Davis thinks the opportune moment has come. He announced that he was considering an extra session of the legislature to repeal the Industrial Court law. Said he: " There is no reason for further squandering the gorgeous sums of money which the State has spent on a court which does not function and is now virtually without power and authority. Its abolition would, in my opinion, save the taxpayers more than $100,000 after paying for the expense of the special session."

There is little doubt that Governor Davis would gain the support of labor by his attempt. Samuel Gompers declared: " Labor maintained from the outset that the Kansas law was in violation of the Constitution because it imposed compulsory labor." If the Republican legislature should care to take the chance of antagonizing labor, and perhaps employers as well, it might, however, refuse to repeal the law.