The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-04
HOW WORKINGMEN FARE
LABOR COMMISSIONER O'DoN-
NELL PREPARING REPORT,
1t Will Be the Most Complete Com
pilaton of Statistics Ever Attempted
in Minnesota-New Investigations
Which are Attracting Wide Atten-
ton in Other States.

State Labor Commissioner John
ODonnell and staff are busily at work
this week on the biennial report of the
bureau, which will be ready for the
printer next week. This report will be
the most elaborate and most important
labor report ever published in this
state, and, with few exceptions, in the
West. 1t will discuss a variety Of ques-.
tionS pertaining to labor conditions
that have not heretofore been touched
upon, and it will present statistics the
most complete ever attempted in the
history of the state. Already MIR.
O'DonneH has received inquiries from
all parts Of the country asking for
copies of the report as soon as pub
lished, as the lines of work which the
bureau has taken up the past year
have attracted wide attention through
out the country. When Mr.. ODonnell
was at the national convention labor
commissioners of many other states
were eager to hear from him just how
the work in Minnesota was being done.
Carroll d. Wright, United States COM
missioner of labor, said that the work
being done by Mr.. O'Donnell in Mime
sofa was of the greatest Importance to
labor throughout the country and
would be of great benefit to the bu-
reauS of other states. He approved
Mr.. O'Donnelps new Investigations
heartily. These include the compila-
ton of very complete statistics regard
ing the employment of women in Min
nesota, the employment, wages, condi-
lions Of male wage earners of every
class and the opportunities for self-heIp
in various occupations. The results Of
this investigation have been published
from time to time in L h G be.
Length Of Working Day.
ly complete collection of statistics of
the length of the working day in vari-
Gus occupations, and the report on this9'
item will be of great interest and will
occasion no little surprise. A large
number of wage earners in this state
average 126 hours a week, which
means eighteen hours a day, seven
days in the week.
The report will discuss the question
Of early closing of stores, especially in
smaller cities. Mr.. O'Donnell has
made a special effort to obtain the
views Of employers on this important
subject, and has been surprised to find
the unanimity which exists among
them in favor of earlier closing.
The report will discuss the question
of strikes during the past twenty years,
the increased proportion of female
wage earners, child labor, labor or
CARNATIONS, the legal status of labor,
the protection of laboring men, the sta
tistics of manufacturing and non-man->
ufacturing industries in the state, and
many other important subjects.
Great interest is being manifested in
the forthcoming report by number Of
womans civic federation clubs, many
Of which have given Mr.. O'Donnell as
sistance and encouragement in his eff
fort to get complete history Of the
conditions OF female wage earners and
to ascertain, if possible, why it is that
many women prefer TO work in stores
and factories rather than to perform
domestic service. This portion of the
report has already attracted wide at
tention.