Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-07-21
From Washington.
.Co.respcudence of the Alexandria Gazette.
Washington. July q.


Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette ]
Washington, July q.
Prosecutions for alleged violations OF
the eight hour law will be started by the
Department of Justice within the next
few DAYS. Previous to the issuance OF
the order by the President that govern
ment inspectors shall report violations
of the eight hour law, information had
been given to the department by the
Rurean of Labor sufficient to justify the
issuance OF warrant il several IN.
stances. In fact there were so many %
these cases that Commissioner Nell, OF
the Bureau of Labor and in charge OF
the investigation of the american FEEDER
alton of Labor complaints, bad to cast
about for some effective means of getting
reac,ts on all and thus thought OF hav-
ing government Inspectors report them.
Where the axe will fail first wi not be
stated at the Department of Justice,
Tke Department will select case for
the first prosecution which will serve as
az example TO other contfectors 1t Will
involve no feature which might lose the
case to the government 1t is believed
the first arrest will be on some very
prominent work and in large city
where much attention will be attracted
to the case.
Unable to construct aud equip manu-
featuring industries to compete with
northern establishments, the South has
found one line along which she Is max
iug a blooming success, while the North
must confess q poorer record. Through
out tic South a profit is made out OF
every convict 10 &c pens institutions
la the North the balance IS on the other
side so says the Bureau Of Labor, OF the
Department Of Commerce and Labor,
after an investigation OF convict labor
throughout the country. "While ia the
United States cOnvicts were a burden on
the public" reads the report of the in
yest;gators, pit is shown that the con
yicts in The penal instituhonS we're a
source OF profit in Alabama, Florida
Mississippi, and Virginia. Allowing
credit for the labor performed Lg
convicts on public works and ways,
the conYicts we're source OF profit
also in Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri,
North Carolina, and South Carolina. "
No data was available to SHOW the
cost of conviction. and it could not
be ascertained if the profit is sufficient
to cover the additional item OF expenses
of getting the labor. The report also
brings out the interesting fact, one re-
garded as of economic importance to the
South, that many Ia position to OBJ
serve claim that more work is done by y
colored convict than by the average col
ored free laborer. In road building the
convict in the South is generally rated
as being nearly equal in efficiency to free
laborers, and in some institutions his rat
ing is higher
On Monday next, the American Fed
Grafton of Labor, through President
Gompers and the members of the execu-
tive council, will issue political prOcls-
nation to the workingmen OF America
urging them to act as unit against the
election of candidates for Office who are
uoffiendly or indifferent to the interests
of organized labor. President Gompers
and many other labor leaders will go
throughout the country making speeches
in the districts of those members they
will seek to defeat. Representative
Liulefeld, of Maine, is The first object
of the federation's attack During the
campaign, President Gompers will make
MONDAY speeches 10 the factory hands
in Littlefeld's district. Among other
candidates who are on the federation 5
"blsck list" are Speaker Cannon,
Messrs. Payne, of New York; DslzelI,
of Pennsylvania; Lands, OF Indiana;
jenkins, of Wisconsin, and Parker, OF
New Jersey. All of the republican
members of the judiciary committee will
be put upon the list excepting Messrs.
Pearre, of Maryland, and Birdsall, OF
Iowa. All of the republican members
of the labor committee are on the list,
excepting possibly Chairman Gardner,
of New Jersey.
Contractors on government works
throughout the country may be hauled
into the courts within the next few days
to explain why they have been violating
the eight-hour law. Complaints, num-
bering into the hundreds, have poured
into the hands ofthe government officials
conducting the investigation into the
violating of the law as first alleged by
the American Federation OF Labor.
These have been turned over to the De-
partment Of Justice for prosecution.
Friends of the Roosevelt administration
say the law will be rigidly enforced for
the sake of justice; its opponents, that it
is merely an ante-electiOn political move.