The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-08-18
UNION Labor SCORES
FIRST GREAT VICTORY
Eight Hour Law Is to Be En-.
forced as Result of Union
Labor Pressure.
instructions Have Been Sent to
All Government Engineers
to Observe Law,

Washington, D. c.. Aug. ia ra-
Ideally new policy will be observed by
the government in the future enforce
ment Of the eight-hour law. The
change Is the result Of specific In
structions from the president. and Is
a tremendous victory for organized
labor. 1t will go into effect at once,
and will have an application In every
part of the country, including the
river and harbor work at Baltimore.
Instructions are nov being sent to
all the engineers and inspectors en-
gagged upon construction for the gov
ernment. directing them to report to
their superior officers at Washington
every instance of violation OF the
eight law coming under thet
notice. Although this law has been
upon the statute books for fourteen
years, it has remained dead letter.
Government officers winked at Its re-
peated violations and took no measures
whatever to secure its enforcement
The change In policy Is due to the
protest. made to the presiden: before
congi'w,A adjourned by President Com
pers Of the American Federation Of
House a large list Of cases where con-
tractors on government work were
keeping their men busy nine and ten
hours a day. Gompers in very plain
statement told the president that the
elght-hour law was being wilfully vio-
lated every day and that govern mem t
officials knew of the transpressions.
and not only failed to correct them,
but aided in covering them up.
The president promised to !nvesti-
gate the complaints and stop the abus-
es. If it were found that they existed.
Then he sent for Commissions err Of La
Dor Neill and asked him If the eight
hour law was being violated. Mr.. Neill
admitted that 1t was. rhereupon the
president directed that every instance
reported by Mr.. Gompers be thoroughly
investigated and If the claims were
substantiated that prosecutions be in
stituted. Commissioner Neill found
practically everything Gompers claim
ed was correct.
AS a result Of hts inuirieqs suits
against contractors working for the
government will be filed in a dozen
or more places In the next ten days.
Right in Washington a f1agrant viola
ton Of the law was found. The icons
tractor who is building the 100000
Connecticut avenue bridge, 1t Is claim
ed, has been working his men ten
hours a day. 1t was stated that he
will probably be before the court with.
in a week. The United States district
attorney at Charleston, c. S., has been
directed to prosecute a contractor VINO
is building the government dry-dock
at that place.
It Is claimed that the action of the
president will have an importan politi-
cal effect. Without doubt the sudd vi
change OF front will be ascribed -.
some uqarters as a palpable stop to
labor and en- effort to get the working
men in line for the coming elections
It may be stated that the president t
realizes that this will be the general
view.
Heretofore the policy Of the army
and navy departments, under which
most of the violations accur has been
to reply to complaints by stating that
they were not responsible for the en-
forcement Of law. In this manner
they cavalierly disposed Of objections,
leaving the matter in the air.