Semi-weekly herald., 1909-04-26
LABOR COMMISSIONING
INCREASED DUTIES

From department four years ago
and an annual appropriation of $4,000
the labor commissioners office of this
state has grown until now there are
sixteen persons in the department al
$4,000 and its power is unlimited so
far as matters pertaining to labor.
labor disputes and labor statistics are
concerned.
Very few persons in the state real
ize just how much power was givsn
to the duty labor commissioner by the
last general assembly. Edwin V.
Brake entered upon the duties of the
office Tuesday morning. He will have
under him fifteen persons.
He will have power to take charge
of and attempt settlements of disputes
between employers and employees. He
will have the power to inspect every
establishment in the state, employing
more than two persons, once a year
and to issue and enforce orders rela-
tive to the health and safety of those
employees. He will have the power to
compel every employe of more than
Two persons to give an annual statisti-
cal report regarding the number of
men employed. the wages paid and the
| class of employment.
He will be the general superintend.
endent of the three employment agen-
cies maintained by the state and every
free employment agent will be under
his direction and control. He can,
through his department, revoke the Ii
cense of any free employment agent
or he can, through his department,
compel any employer of labor to make
any change which is deemed necessary
for the betterment of the health or
the protection against accident of the
employees.
AS labor commissioner Mr.. Brake
can WELD more power under the exist.
ing statute than any man in the state,
unless 1t be the governor.
The recent legislature gave to him
what is known as the factory inspec.
tion BILL Under its provisions he Sc
lects six factory inspectors. They have
the right to inspect every establish.
ment in the state where more than
two men are employed. The charges
are $40 for each inspection and thew
must inspect annually. A conserya.
i've number of places that viii be
inspected is 5000, which will bring I'm
annual income of $4,000. and Il is
known that there are five times that
many places that can be Inspected un.
der the law.
There are three free employment
agencies conducted by the state, one
at Denver, one at Colorado SPRINGS
and one at Pueblo. These are under
the direction of Mr.. Brake.
In addition the legislature provided
Tor the compilation of statistics rela.
i've to labor and the payment there
Tor. Every person in the state employ.
ing labor must fill out annually. blanks
relating to this employment and ~
they fall TO do 1t fines can be imposed
When labor troubles occur Mr.
Brake can, under the law, take the
Initiative in settling the trouble. He
does not have to wait until one side
or the other invites him to Intervene
put he can step in and representing
the state, act as an arbitrator and
mus try to affect a settlement.
In discutting his new duties and
powers, Mr.. Brake said:
1t Will be my aim to enforce the
laws with firmness and with fairness
shall treat both the employer n
the employe with every pos..ye
amount of fairness and shall expect
both to help me in carrying ont the
provisions of the statute. We now
nave the best laws for the protect,on
't Doth labor and capital insofar as
strikes. lockouts and industrial die.
DuteS are concerned q, a.