Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-12-05

will be prepared and enacted as speed
lily as possible. Il. 5sl.1 4. IS s5ss
PROBLEMS OF LABOR. 4
hlunctions, Child Employment and Won.
en- Who Work Discussed.
The national government has as q
rule but little occasion to deal with the
formidable group Of problems connect
ed more or less directly with what is
known as the labor question, for In the
great majority OF cases these problems
must be dealt with BY the state and
not by the national government. The
national government has control Of the
District Of Columbia, however, and 1t
should see to it that the city OF Wash
ington is made a model city In all re-
spects, both as regards parks, public
play rounds, proper regulation Of the
system of housing SO as to do away
with the evils Of alley tenements, a
proper system Of education, proper
system OF dealing with truancy and ju-
venile Offenders, a proper handling of
the charitable work Of the District.
Moreover, there should be proper fac
tory laws to prevent all abuses in the
employment Of women and children in
the District. These will be useful chief
~ as object lessons, but even this limit
ed amount of usefulness would be Of
real national value. -. "a
There has been demand for depriving
courts Of the power to issue injunctions
IN labor disputes. Such special limita-
ton OF the equity powers Of our courts
would be most unwise. It Is true that
some judges have misused this power,
but this does not Justify a denial Of the
power any more than. an Improper ex-
ercise Of the power to call strike by
a labor leader would justify the denial
OF the right to strike. The remedy is
to regulate the procedure by requiring
the judge to give due notice to the ad-
verse parties before granting the writ,
the nearing to be ex parte If the ad-
verse party does not appear at the time
and place ordered. What is due notice
must depend upon the facts of the
case. 1t should not be used as pre-
text to permit violation of law or the
1eopardizing of life or property. OF
course this would not authorize the is
suing Of restraining order or injunc-
ton IN any case In which it is not al
ready authorized by existing law.
Child Labor. II
renew the recommendation I made
In my last annual message for an in
vestgation by the department of COM
merce and labor of general labor con-
d1tions, especial attention to be paid
to the conditions OF child labor and
child labor legislation in the several
states. Such an Investigation should
take into account the various problems
with which the question OF child labor
rs connected. 1t Is true that these prob
lens can be actually met In most cases
only by the states themselves, but It
would be we'll for the nation to en-
deavor to secure and publish compre-
hensive information as to the condi-
tons of the, labor of children In the
dinerent states 30 as to spur up those
that are behindhand and to secure an
proxfmately uniform legislation of a
high character among the several states.
In such republic as ours the one thing
mat we cannot afford to neglect is the
problem Of turning out decent citizens.
The future Of the nation depends upon
the citizenship Of the generations To
come. The children of today are those
VINO tomorrow will shape the destiny
Of our land. and we cannot afrord to
neglect them. The legislature Of Colo
RADIO has recommended that the nation.
Al government provide some general
measure for the protection from abuse
OF children and dumb animals through.
out the United States. I lay the mat.
ter before you for what / trust viii b
your favorable consideration.
~. Women Who Work. :,
The department Of commerce and la
Dor should also make a thorough inyes.
tigation Of the conditions Of women In
industry. Over 5000, 600 American wo-
men rr are now engaged In gainful occu-
pations, yet there Is an almost completes
dearth Of data upon which to base any
trustworthy conclusions as regards q
subject as important as it is vast and
complicated. There is need OF fuH
knowledge on which to base action
looking toward state and municipal
legislation for the protection OF work
Ing women The Introduction Of wo-
men into industry is working change
and disturbance In the domestic ana
social life Of the nation. The decrease
In marriage, and especially In the birth
rate, has been coincident with 1t, We
must face accomplished facts, and the
adjustment to factory conditions must
be made, but surely It can be made
with less friction and less harmful eff
fectS on family life than q ,o,1 IN,