The Irish standard., 1900-06-02
LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED,
synopsi. of Report Of Industrial Com-
mission Submitted TO
Congress-.

Washington, May 26.-The indus.
trial commission, in its report to con.
gress on labor legislation, recon.
mends improved legislation to the
state legislatures rather than to con.
gress directly.
1.-THE subject of greatest public interest
to-day" says the report, sis perhaps that
OF the regulation of the hours of labor per-
mitted in Industrial occupations and espe-
c1ally In factories"
AS congress has no power to legis.
late directly in this matter the com.
mittee recommends that a simple
statute be enacted by all the states
regulating the length of the working
day for all persons between the ages
of IA and 81 years who work in fac
tories.
The report in brief, ays:
''The employment Of lildren below the
age of IA should be prohibited in factories.
lie employment should be fixed at eight
hours The same time should be fixed for
Workmen in underground mines except in
cases of emergency. Employment in mines
of children less than IA years of age. and
all women and girls should be forbidden.
Congress might we'll enact that no person
under IS should be employed as telegraph
operator upon railroads, and that all en-
gineers and switchmen should submit to
an examination for color blindness, also
that 1t be made a misdemeanor for an en-
gineer or swtchman to be intoxicated
while on duty. A simple and liberal law
regulating the payment Of labor should be
adopted by all the states. providing that
all laborHrs shall be paid In cash orders
without discount, not in goods or due bills.
and that no compulsion, direct or indirect,
should be used to make them purchase
goods at any particular store.
1.-THE question of the enforcement of the
labor contract by injunction or contempt
in equity process is very difficult one,
mainly made SO by the abuses which have
arisen from injunctions carelessly issued.
1t Is suggested that it might be we'll to limit
punishment for contempt to imprisonment
for a brief period. but equity courts must
not be deprived Of the power to protect
themselves and to make their DEGREES re-
spected The practice of awarding blanket
injunctions against all the world, or
against unnamed defendants. as we'll as
the practice of Indirectly enforcing the
contract for personal service by enjoining
employees from quitting work, should be
discouraged not only by popular sentiment,
but by intelligent judicial opinion.
On the subject of railway labor, the COM
adopt a consistent code of law regulating
all matters concerning employment, such
as hours of labor, limitation Of continuous
runs by engineers or continuous service by
telegraph operators or switchmon: the en-
actment of a consistent employers liabili-
ty code: the liability of the employer or
corporation for defective appliances etc.
The statutes already adopted in the sew
eral states, discriminating between
union and nonunion labor by making it a
penal offense for an employer 10 exclude
union labor only, seem to the commission
to be unconstitutional, being class legisla-
tion. The statute should apply to nom
union as well as union labor alike, If it is
to be enacted at all. The right to be en-
ployed and protected without belonging
to a union should be preserved; but every
facility should be given labor to organize
If it desires, and the last vestige of the
notion that trade unions are criminal
conspiracy should be swept away. The
use of private police detectives or other
hired bellies of men to be used in connec-
ton with labor troubles has aroused con-
siderable attention, and congress probably
has the power to enact reasonable 1egis-
lation TO prevent abuses in this direction.
In a general way the commission reports
that Cancellation laws have leen found
effective, but that strict arbitration ma
chinery rarely works we'll. IL. is recon-
mended that labor bureaus or commissions
be established in all the states
Commissioners e. A. Snyth and C.. J.
Harris unite in u minority report, in which
they express the opinion that 1t would be
both unjust and impracticabe to attempt
any uniform laws regulating labor in all
the states, if labor and capital are to have
their full development. They say the right
OF private contract should be allowed to
both laborer and employer, and therefore
the limitation of hours of labor would be
fraught with danger.
Commissioner John w. Daniel in sep
arate report concurs in the spirit of the
views expressed by Commissioners Smyth
and Harris