Pierce Butler

“ A violation of the acts is a breach of duty owed to an employee, whether he is at the time engaged in interstate or in intrastate commerce. And by abolishing assumption of risk the acts impliedly recognize the right to recover for injuries resulting therefrom. ”

“ Respondent is a common carrier by railroad wholly within that state engaged in intrastate and interstate commerce. And the Safety Appliance Acts make it unlawful for it to haul or permit to be hauled or used on its line any car not equipped with couplers coupling automatically by impact. ”

“ These acts do not create, prescribe the measure, or govern the enforcement of, the liability arising from the breach. They do not extend to the field occupied by the State Compensation Act. There is nothing in the agreement repugnant to them. ”