River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-08-08

Madison - Discrimination against
the $500 members Of the Wisconsin
National guard, either by employers
or labor organizations, has been pretty
effectively guarded against by the en-
actment of chapter 462 of the laws of
1907. The purpose of the statute
is to permit the Wisconsin guardsmen
to drill and attend the annual encamp-
ment of the guard without fear of
losing their employment. 1t is also
intended to prevent labor organiza-
lions from barring guardsmen from
their membership because of the fact
that in labor disputes the soldiers of
the state may be called upon to quell
disturbances. Although employers,
more than any other class of citizens,
receive the largest percentage of pro-
lection through the National guard, it
has been constantly brought to the at
tention of the state soldiery that many
employers of labor begrudge their en-
ployes who are citizen soldiers the
time spent at the annual encamp-
ments. In many little ways it has
been demonstrated, according to the
militiamen, that while they have not
lost employment outright by obeying
the guard orders, nevertheless they
have been made to understand that as
between soldier duty and business,
business should not be interfered with
at any time. The text of the new
law, which has already gone into
of fo Pol
laws of 1907.-To create sections
4,423m and 4,423n, statutes of 1898,
relating to obstruction, annoyance
or discrimination against any mem
Der of the National guard: ga
person who, either by himself or
with another, wilfully deprives mem
Der of the National guard of his en-
ploEment, or prevents his being en-
ployed by himself or another or in re-
spect to his trade, business or employ
ment, because said member of said
National guard is such member, or
dissuades any person from enlistment
in the said National guard by threat
of injury to him in case he shall so
enlist, in respect to his employment,
trade, or business, shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and upon con-
viction thereof shall be punished by
a fine of not less than $40 nor more
than $25, or by Imprisonment in the
county jail for not less than ten days
nor more than 20 days. No associa-
ton or corporation, constituted or or
ganized for the purpose Of promoting
the success Of the trade, employment
or business of the members thereof,
shall by any constitution, rule, bylaw,
resolution, vote or regulation, discrim,
mate against any member of the Ma,
tional guard of the state of Wisconsin,
because of such membership in re,
spect to the eligibility of such mem
Der of the said National guard to
membership in such association or cor
poration, or in respect to his right to
retain said last mentioned member
ship. 1t Is the purpose of this sec.
tion and the section Immediately pre-
ceding to protect a member of the
National guard from disadvantage in
his means of livelihood and liberty
therein, but not to give him any pref
erence or advantage on account of his
membership in said National guard. A
person who aids in enforcing any such
provisions against member of the
said National guard with the intent to
discriminate against him because OF
such membership, shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof shall be punished
by fine of not less than $40 nor
more than $25, or by imprisonment in
the county Jail for not less than ten
days nor more than 20 days."