The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-27
REMEDY FOR LABOR'S ILLS
Industrial Commission Looks to the
States and Makes Suggestions.

SIuJcS. anu II axes
Washington, May 25.-The industrial
commission in its report TO congress Of
labor legislation, recommends improved
legislation TO the state legislatures rather
than to congress directly. The subject
of greatest public interest today" says
the report, lis perhaps that Of the regu-
lation Of the hours Of labor permitted in
industrial occupations. and especially in
factories" AS congress has no power to
legislate directly in this matter, the COM
mitcee recommends that a simple statute
be enacted by all the states regulating
the length Of the working day for all Per-
sons between the ages Of II and p years
who work in factories. The report in
brief says:
The employment Of children below the
age Of a should be prohibited in factor
les. The length Of the working day in
all public employment should be fixed at
eight hours. The same time should be
fixed for workmen in underground mines
except in cases Of emergency. Employ
nent in mines Of children of less than
Il years of age and all women and girls
should be forbidden Congress might well
enact that no person under IS should be
employed as a telegraph operator upon
railroads, and that all engineers and
switchmen should submit to an examina-
ton for color blindness; also that it be
made misdemeanor for an engineer or
swithm2n to be intoxicated while on
duty. A simple and liberal law regulat-
ing the payment Of labor should be
adopted by all the states, providing that
all laborers 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
Provisions for the fair weighing of coal
at mines before passing over a screen
should be adopted, and the miners should
have the privilege of employing a check
weighman at their own expense.
THE question of the enforcement OF
the labor contract by injunction or con-
tempt in equity process, is a difficult one,
mainly made so by the abuses which
have arisen from injunctions carelessly
issued. 1t Is suggested that il might be
well 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
awarding blanket injunci9ns against all
the world. or against unnamed defend
ants, as we'll as the practice Of indirect
ly enforcing the contract for personal
service by enjoining employees from quit
ting work, should be discouraged not
only by popular sentiment but by intelli-
gent judicial opinion"
On the subject Of railway labor, the
commission is Of the opinion that con-
gress should adept consistent code Of
law regulating all matters concerning
employment, such as hours of labor, linn
itati0n Of continuous runs by engineers
or continuous service by telegraph oper-
ators or switchmen. the enactment OF
employers liability code, the
liability of the employer or corporation |
for defective appliances, etc
Statutes were adopted in the several |
states, discriminating as between union !
and non-union labor by making it a penal |
offense for an employer 10 exclude union |
labor only, seem to the commission 10 be |
unconstitutional. being class legislation. |
The statnte should apply to non-union |
as well as union labor alike. If il is to be |
enacted at all. The right to be employed |
and protected without belonging TO a |
union should be preserved; but every IA |
,fiity should be given to labor to organize |
4 It desires. and the last yestige of the |
notion that trades 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 con- |
1ection with labor troubles has aroused !
considerable attention and congress prob |
ably has the power to enact reasonable |
egislation to prevent abuses in this d. /
-ection.
In a general way, the commission re
ports that Cancellation laws have been
'ound effective. but that strict arb:tra-
ion on machinery rarely works we'll II
s recommended that labor bureaus be es-
ablished in all the states.
Commissioners E. A. Smyth and c. ].
Harris unite in a minority report In
which they express the opinion that Il
would be both unjust and impracticahle
% attempt any uniform laws regulating /
Dor in all the states. II labor and capt
al are 10 have their full development.
They say the right q private contract
should be allowed Ia both laborer and |
Employer and therefore the limitation Of
lours of labor would be fraught with
hanger. Commissioner John w. Daniel.
II a separate minority report. concurs in
he spirit Of the views expressed BY |
Smyth and Harris