The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-05-31
LAWS FOR LABOR.
Legislation Recommended by the
Industrial Commission.

Washington. May 26.-The industrial
commission, in its report to congress
on labor legislation, recommends inn
proved legislation to the state legis-
latures rather than to congress di-
rectly.
.eThe subject Of greatest public interest
to-day" says the report. is ~perhaps>that
OF the regulation of the hours Of labor per-
pecially 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 Tor ali persons between the ages
of Ia and 81 years who work in fac
tories.
The report in brief says;
"The employment of children below the
nge OF Il should be prohibited in factories.
The length OF the working day in all pub
lie employment should be fixed at eight
hours. The same time should be fixed tor
workmen in underground mines except IN
cases OF emergency. Employment in mines
Of children less than II years OF age, and
an women and girls should be forbidden.
Congress might well enact that 70 person
under Is should be employed as a telegraph
operator upon railroads, and that All en-
gineers and switchmen should submit 70
an examination for color blindness, also
that II be made a misdemeanor for an en-
gineer or switchman TO be intoxicated
while on duty. A simple and liberal law
regulating the payment Of labor should be
adopted by all the states, providing n a
ali labOrers shall be paid in cash orders
without discount, not In goods or due Dllls'
49, -. - ,r,,,rTSfn- AfraRf OT indirect.
should be used TO make them purchase
goods at any particular store.
Question of injunction.
9TH question of the enforcement of the
labor contract by injunction or contempt
in equity process is a very difficult one,
mainly made so by the abuses which nave
arisen from injuneuons careiessly issued.
II is suggested that il might be Well 10 hmit
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 allthe world, or against
unnamed defendants, as wen as the prac-
tice of indirectly enforcing the contract for
personal service by enjoining employees
from quitting work, should be discouraged
not only by popular sentiment, but by in
telIfgent judicial opinion"
Railway Labor.
On the subject of railway labor, the com
mission is OF opinion that congress should
adopt a consistent code Of law regulating
all matters concerning employment, such
as hours Of labor, limitation 6f continuous
runs by engineers or continuous service by
telegraph operators or switchmen; the en-
actment of a consistent employers liabil-
ity code; the liability of the employer or
corporation for defective appliances, etc.
The statutes already adopted in the sew
---H g-zaF-,Faa4F aa hntvTAnn mn.
ion and ~non-union labor by making it a
penal offense for an employer TO exclude
union labor only, seem to the commission
10 be unconstitutional, being classalegis-
lation. The statute should apply to non
union as well as uniCn labor alike, If 1t is
20 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
II 1t desires, and the last vestige of the
notion that trade unions are a criminal
conspiracy should be swept away. The
use OF private police detectives or other
hired bodies of men to be used In connec-
ton with labor roubles has aroused con-
siderable attention, and congress probably
has the power to enact reasonable legis-
lation to prevent abuses in this direction.
Cancellation Laws.
In a general way the commission reports
that conciliation laws have been found
effective, but that strict arbitration ma
chinery rarely works wen. II is recon-
mended that labor bureaus or commission
be established in all the states.
Minority Report.
Commissioners i. A. Smyth and c.. J.
Harris unite in a minority report, in which
they express the opinion that it would be
both unjust and impracticable to attempt
any uniform laws regulating labor in all
the states, II labor and capital are to have
thef. 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 a sep
arate report concurs in the spirit of the
views expressed By Commissioners Smyth
and Harris.