Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-21
CARE FOR POOR JACK.
EGori- Bcing Mndc TO Abolish the
wrongs rhnt Have neen I'm
posed upon snliorS.

Warrington. August Gothic bureau
Of labor has recently undertaken an
Independent investigation In a neld
OF Inquiry which ii has not before
entered. rho work OF American aea-
men in tho merchant service 80 the sub
lect 10 which the udiciala OF tne bur
nau are dcvoting u part ut ther at
tontiun during the present aen9on
Agents have been stationed at I'VE
principal ports Ut the country New
York. Boston. Philadelphia, baltimore
and San Francisco. whose business u
is 10 Investigate the conditions OF the
life and service OF the common sailors
employed In the merchant shipping
carried ON under the United Satus mas,
The terms upon which Heamcn arc em-
plOycd, the wages paid them the treat
mon accorded 10 them al the sea and
incidentally the ratiuna aud accom-
modutlonH furnished ON Hhip board
are being Investigated Particular at
tcntion IN being paid TO the contracts
made with Hramen and to the custom
which largely prevuila among shin cap
toina OF engaging the HorVlcca OF mid
dlemvu To- enlist their crows
During the last congress an cnort
was made by the National scamena
union to secure the enactment OF
legislation 10 improve the condition OF
the men la the merchant marine. sew
cral hills We're introduced In both OF
the houses providing for higher
standard OF rauonH, for better sleep
lng and living quarters On nhlphuntd;
for the abolition OF whipping aud all
manner OF corporal discipline und dOing
away with imprisonment as punlsh-
mrnt for the Violation ~ civil contracts
hy sailors. These measures we're very
strongly opposed by delegations from
the ship owners organizations OF the
country ana as strongly advocated by
representatives Of the sohnen's union,
Mono OF the mougutun Nerd sdcopHslnl
except the biz doing away wis1 impiiB-
onment for failure 10 fulnll ontarte.
Their advocacy BY the union before
congress, however. called attention to
alleged conditions which Hcemod to
furnish a proper field FOR uNofllg1-
tlon by tho labor bureau and 30 the
matter was taken up. Tho bureau ems
teIed into the work without intcutiun
~ sustain the theories OF either The
aehmon or Hhipbulldcrs merely desiring
tp throw whatever light II might upon
the condition OF the United Stn.2s NOR
ahAnt marine, This ~ Tho only pranoh
OF labor for which special laws have
been enacted regulating the tnrms of
contracts aud service
II hua always been assumed by the
| government that the sailor was pro-
| par subject for pnternnl legislation.
| ana the officer OF shipping commits
ploners hna been Instituted for his
| protection. The Investigation Is OK
| pectcd 10 develop whether the ayn-
| TEN OF commissioners can be considered
| SUCCESS In fulfilling lta mission, The
| two Investigations ordered by resolu-
tlunH OF conEreHs are making Hptlsfnc-
| tory progress In making inquiry into
the effects of machinery upon labor
| the bureau Us going exhnuHtlvcly into
the hiatory OF nearly every branch OF
manufacturing IN which machinery has
taken the place Of hand labor In re-
cent years. One factory of each class Is
taken AS an example, mud the amount
and cost of production ana other de-
| tails through each process OF the work
are learned as well ms the number Of
lnborers and the time required FOR the
production OF goods under different
systems Incidentally, attention u bq-
ing paid TO the sanitary conditions OF
work aud other phases.
Mr.. o. w. woiver, the clerk OF thu
bureau. says tho reports which have
been received up to date show That the
products OF hand labor are still placed
on tho market in competition with
machine made goods In a surprisingly
large range Of manufactures.
The other Investigation nHked for by
congress- deals with tho condition Of
female labor. The report TO be made
upon this subject viii he compare.
live one, dealing with tho employment
OF women Mt two different periods ten
md twenty years apart. Information
81 being sought regarding work In
faciorleo. In shops, IN oiiloea ana homes
Comparisons OF wages. OF hours and OF
the classes of work open 20 women
VIII be made. Tho bureau Il endehv.
oring 20 reach the exact facts regard.
Ing the Standing presumption thai
women receive smaller wages thn'l
men for work OF similar class per-
formed by both sexes and the reasons
for existing conditions.
All Of the work Of the bureau OF Ia
Dor Is done by IT'S agents. No de-
pendencc ic placed upon correspondence
rs a means o. securing Statistics and
! other Information.