The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-07-27
: An Il | ! | BET J | | TE|||l. FOOD
Work Eighteen Hours = Day-Thisr
Employers Are yiolat1nE Govern-
nent Eisht ,Heur LssAre IA.bls
to Heavy Fins snA I1aprasonnent.
Trades Assembly should Act-Gooa
I Opportunity to show Itself.

A strike among the dredgs men in
the harbor began on Wednesday Of this
week. The men work eighteen hours
a day. They ask for .$2.35 day ana
better food. They ought to win. They
ought to get more than they ask for.
It is against the laws Of the United
States to work men more than eight I
hours day on government work.
Every day that an employer violates
the law he IL liable to arrest, and =
fine Of one thousand dollars for each
efense, or six months In jail. The law
is as follows:
: Sec. 1. The service and employment
of all laborers and mechanics who are
now or may hereafter be employed by
the Government Of the United States.
by the District OF. Columbia, or by any
contractor or subcontractor upon any
Of the public works Of the United States
or of the said District Of Columbia, is
hereby limited and restricted to eight
hours in any one calendar day, and 1t
shall be unlawful for any officer Of the
United States Government or Of the
District Of Columbia or any contractor
or subcontractor whose duty it shall be
to employ, direct, or control the SER
vices Of such laborers or mechanics to
require or permit any such. laborer or
mechanic to work more than eight
hours in any calendar day except In
case Of extraordinary emergency.
Sec. 2. Any officer or agent Of the
Government Of the United States or
of the District of Columbia or any con-
tractor or subcontractor whose duty
it. shall be to employ, direct. or con-
troll any laborer or mechanic employed
upon any Of the public work Of the
United States or Of the District Of
Columbia, who shall Intentionally vio-
late any provision Of this act, shall be
deemed guilty of q misdemanor, and
for each and every such offense shall
upon conviction be punished by q dne
not to exceed one thousand dollars, or
by Imprisonment for not more than six
months, or both such fines and imprison-
ment in the discretion Of the court hav-
ing jurisdiction thereof.
Every contractor who has had any
thing to do with the improvements In
our haroor has violated the above law.
The Trades Assembly has had the mat
ter before 1t 50 number OF times. but
than acting. and hence nothing war.
done with It. The law Is applicable to
the work now being done here. We can
produce scores Of decisions from Feder-
al Courts on the matter, every one os
which leaves no question Of doubt % to
the intent and purpose Of the law.
Let the Trades Assembly take the
matter up at once. It may cost . few
dollars to employ two or three reliable
men to get testimony, but they will he
repaid in the end: II the law IL en-s
forced there will be twice az many men
employed in the harbor, on public work
as there is now. This will mean better
and more business for Duluth msrch-s
ants, and shorter hours Of labor for the
workmen, which will make them bet
ter consumers and better men. The
contractors can not justly complain up
on an enforcement OF the law. They
certainly figured for the work upon an
was their own fault, as the law was
created before the improvements In our
harbor were ever thought Of. It can
not be said that this is none Of organ
lied labor's business, for It Is. Organ
lied labor secured the enactment Of the
law, and it is UP to them to see that
it is enforced. Let us suggest 20 modus
operandum." Employ two reliable men.
Have them watch q certain crew from
the time that they start work in the
morning until they finish at night.
Keep track Of each mans time. At the
end Of the day, II the law Il violated,
find out who employs them, and have
the employer arrested under the statute
above quoted. This may cost . few
dollars, but It will be worth It.
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