Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-08
IN LABOR'SqNTEREST.
An Executive Department of the
Government Provided For.
BILL INTRODUCED HIahR BABcoCK
industrial Classes 0Ats Entitled to
This Recognition.
TEXT OF THE MEASURE

Representative Be- bcock of Wisconsin to-
day introduced in the House bill to con-
stitute the department of labor an execu-
tive department Of the United States gov
eminent. Mr.. Babcock proposes to give the
bill his earnest attention, to urge Its con-
s:deration before the committee to which
1t is referred and to make g. sustained eff
fort to l ave 1t enacted into law. The bill
in full is as follows:
That the department Of labor shall be an
executive department Of the United States
government, under the supervision and con-
troll Of secretary Of labor, who shall be
appointed by the President, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate; and
section 1853 of the Revised Statutes Is here
by amended to include such department:
and the provisions of title of the Revised
Statutes including all amendments there
to. are hereby made applicable to said de-
partnent.
Section 2. That there shall be in said de-
partMent an assistant secretary OF labor,
to be appointed by the President, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate,
who shall perform such duties as may be
required by law or prescribed by the secre-
tary.
Section 3, That the secretary of labor
shall receive the same salary as is paid to
the Secretary Of each of the executive de-
partments. and that the salary Of the as
s.stant secretary of labor shall be the same
as that now paid to the first assistant Sec
rotary Of the Department of the Interior.
Section f. That all laws and parts of laws
relating to tie department Of labor now in
existence. so far as the same are applicable
and not in conflict with this act, and only
SO far. are continued in full force and eff
feet.
Mr. Babcock's Views.
1.-THE bill proposes to create an executive
department" said Mr.. Babcock to Star
reporter, under the supervision and. con-
troll of a secretary OF labor. who shall be
charged particularly with the interests of
labor, and shall have a place and voice in
the highest council Of the government.
The bureau is now called the department
of labor, but 1t Is not a department in the
sense in which the branches presided over
by secretaries are departments. 1 am sur
prised that it was not made department
in the full sense long ago. Labor organ
lied and unorganized should be accorded
this right. The industrial masses are as
clearly entitled to It as are the agricul-
turists.
Both classes should be accorded the
fullest, fairest, most impartial considera-
should have a representative and cham
pion where their influences may be the most
potent for good. Indeed, 1t seems to me
that it is as much the concern of the gov
eminent as it is Of the millions in the
Industrial army that this department shall
be created. In a government by the peo-
pie the people should at all times have
the fullest voice. The millions who are
technically known as the labor class are
of themselves very considerable part of
this government. They have pee uliar in
terests, the safe guarding of which should
be the highest concern of the government.
1T may be urged by some that all the
cabinet members will have the interest of
labor at heart, and therefore there is no
need of a secretary of labor. No doubt
they will care for the interests Of labor
as they have light and opportunity to do
so. But they are engrossed with the pc
culiar cares Of their different departments
and they cannot give to this subject the
specially commissioned to do so would.
The other secretaries in their action in
matters that particularly concerned labor
would be Influenced by the opinion of the
secretary having this department in
charge.
No Good Argument Against 1t.
ANY argument which could be brought
against establishing the department of
labor might just as well be made against
the Department of Agriculture, but no one
will make an argument against the wisd om
of establishing that department., which.
under the administration of Secretary
Rusk, did as much to open foreign markets
and enhance the price obtained for the pro-
ducts of the farm. The republican party
has always been the champion of labor
freedom Of labor. When the republican
party was born organized labor scarcely
existed, but under the protection of that
party 1t has grown to be a giant. The
creation OF this proposed department will
be another step in the elevation and dig
nifying Of labor, and I hope that this re-
publican Congress win be consistent with
Its past record and this