New-York tribune., 1909-01-18
LABOR LAW ENFORCED
JOHN WILLIAMSS REPORT
More than 600 Prosecutions by De-
partment During Year.

y
TO enforce the labor law of the state and that
the conditions governing the employment OF labor
have been bettered during the last year are the
deductions to be drawn from the annual report
of State Commissioner OF Labor John Williams
which Will be submitted TO the Legislature to-moT-
row. Appended to the Commissioners report, which
presents a general view Of the work Of the de-
partment, are preliminary reports Of the bureaus
of factory inspection and of mediation and arbi-
tration. an index Of legislative bills relating to
labor in 1905 and compilation OF all laws relat-
ing to labor in force.
During the year ended September 80. 1908, there
were 1896 regular factory inspections. as COM
pared with 46.86 in 1907 Prosecutions for viola
tion of the law instituted during the year num-
bered TAB, showing q greater activity IN connec-
ton with prosecutions than in any corresponding
period in the history Of the department The re-
port says:
There is no disposition our part to extend un- @
duly the rigid requirements of statutes; on the
the money cost of an Improvement to outweigh the
rights Of men, women and children whose condi-
danger to be Temedied In other Words we con-
laws so as TO accomplish the END sought in
enactment namely; to safeguard The moral and
other interest must be subordinate to that central
thought Where there is room for an honest diff
ference of opinion seek the fullest measure of
information obtainabe. recognizing the right of
Il wonId he AGAINST nnbIc poIicy to hamper unduIy
the development OF industry.
In connection with the subject of prosecutions.
magistrates who allow many adjournments which
ire sought obviously for purposes of delay for
the purpose of enabling the defendant to comply
with orders of long standing" resulting in great
waste of time Of department inspectors and counsel
On the departments orders 1853 children found
Illegally employed were discharged In Ala cases
employers were prosecuted for such Illegal employ
ment. The falling off In child labor generally
from the figures OF 1907 q per cent, while
Illegal child labor fell off "a per cent This"
d'leaE ~ he
sion that wilful violations of the child labor law
can and will eventually be eradicated"
THE CANNING INDUSTRY.
The Commissioner reports serious difficulty, how
ever. in enforcing the law in the canning industry
(fruits and vegetables). Prosecutions in this in
dustry for a number OF glaring violations of the
law relating to and children proved al
most waste OF time says the Commissioner, ow-
ing either to the local prejudice of court jury
in favor OF the Gamer, TO tho effect of the
opnon of former Attorney General Mayer. that the
employment of young children in sheds" connect
ed with canneries is not illegal THE experience
of the last season." concludes the report this
subject has brought to light situation which is
intolerable' and which demands thoreigh consid-
Grafton with a view a remedy. that the obli
cation TO obey law may be enforced without
discrimination"
The report devotes much space TO the results OF
the first years work of the medical inspector OF
factories, New York having been the first American
state to provide such an officer The field being
new, considerable time had be devoted 10 plans
and preparation for work Aside from this the
medical inspectors efforts this year were mainly
devoted TO determining conditions TO ventilation
in various factories by measurement Of the proper
tion OF carbonic acid gas in the air. In all $50
tests OF air In 1876 different workrooms were made.
Twelve parts OF carbonic acid in 1000 volumes
OF air Is regarded the maximum II air is 10 he
wholesome for breathing. But tabulation OF the
medical inspectors tests shows proportions fire.
uuantlv two or three times greater than this. and
in some Ave six times greater The rather
startling conditions revealed by these tests. the
Commissioner affirms, fully Justify the provision
made for medical inspector. whose work gives the
department truly scientific basis which TO
proceed in the matter OF requiring sufficient ven
tilation in factories. The Commissioner urges the
need. however. Of ventilating engineer 20 sup
pen2ent the work of the medical inspector
Another departure in 1903 was inspection OF tun-
construction work by special tunnel inspector.
The excessive hazards Of this work we're the usti-
fcation for such special provision. In the tun-
nels inspected during the year i .798 were en-
poyed. % whom 4.e3i worked in compressed air
over Eve hundred accidents In such work were
ported during the year -Four fatal cases OF the
bends reported.
LABOR LAW on PUBLIC WORK.
Complaints OF violation OF the law concerning labor
on public works to the number Of IS received
during the year of which 20 sustained-6o in
regard to the eight provision and 10 relative
o the prevailing rate of wages clause The report
notes with satisfaction the decision OF the
Court OF Appeals sustaining the constitutionalIty
of the prohibition OF payments contracts as pen
alty for violation OF the law. I'VE are determined
saws Commissioner Williams. 'to compel obedience
I the eight hour law
The duties of the bureau relative to nanufactur-
ing In tenements have been performed more fully
than in previous years. the report says A con-
sderably larger number OF licensed houses were in
spected to see II tn sanitary standards TO which
they were required to conform still main
tanned This was made possible by OF the
creation OF a small tenement house squad, consist
ing Of three inspectors. which took the current
tenement house work incident TO the investigations
OF applications for licenses the investigation OF
complaints, and the following up Of orders. rein
vestigations etc. The squad was augmented by
temporary detail OF about ten upstate inspectors,
who worked under the direction OF the Superin-
tendent OF Licenses in New York for about two
months in the late winter and early spring. They
devoted their time to the regular inspection Of
licensed premises
brought to final Issue by the department during the
wear Convictions recorded in 422 cases, and
penalties aggregating s5146 imposed
The preliminary report Of the Bureau of Media
ton and Arbitration notes a large reduction in
labor disputes In 1908. compared with 1901. In
1903 only 5S strikes and lockouts reported In
which 10 e4s employees directly involved
compared with 2s2 disputes and 1881 workers di-
rectly concerned in 1907 The prevailing industrial
depression and the development of trade agree
ments are cited in explanation Of the lessened npm-
Der Of disputes Interventions Of the bureau num-
bered seventy-hNe.
SUNDAY WORKERS WAR WITH POLICE.