The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-10-13
Legislature is Expected to
Bolster Up Labor Laws
at Coming Session
WILL PROTECT TIE CHILDREN
Large Amount Of Legislation Not
Touched BY Platform Conventions
Sure to Come Up at the Next Session
Of Legislature

Although the talk in the platform
conventions which have been meeting
in Madison has been largely along the
line Of the legislation which is de-
manded by the platform planks, there
was considerable talk, among the old
members of the legislature from all
the parties who have been renomi-
mated in regard to the legislation out
side Of platform demands which shall
he Incorporated into the statutes dur
ing the coming winter in M adison
From the talk it was gathered that
so-called labor legislation will fare bet
ter at this session than it has in many
years before, and it is likely that quite
an amount of legislation for the bene-
fit Of the working men will be adopted.
Thus it is likely that the Wisconsin
child labor laws will be greatly
strengthened at this session Of the
Legislature and more power will be
given the officials empowered to issue
permits for children between the ages
of IA and 16 years to work with refer
ence to the refusal of permits when
they think the circumstances surround
ing the case of the children for whom
permits are desired do not warrant
their working. The men who have
been following the child labor legis-
Iation in this state the last few years
have commended for some time that
entirely too little latitude is allowed
public officials with reference to a
refusal of permits and that many chill
dren are now working in factories
ana other places who should be in
school and whose parents can amply
afford to give them an education. It's
said that both the Massachusetts and
New York laws are better on this
subject and they may be used as models
for the Wisconsin legislation
Tn connection with the child labor
legislation an effort will also probab-
ly be made to place on the statute
books more effective truancy legisla-
tion, Although it is believed that a
great deal Las been accomplished by
the> truancy laws that opportunity
should be given for the employment
of more truancy officers and for full
Ter application of the truancy laws in
all districts.
1t can be said that the legislation
of this character is more likely to be
made applicable to the smaller cities
of the state than Milwaukee, for the
reason there is general feeling that
the truancy laws are being pretty we'll
obeyed in Milwaukee. Legislation for
the establishment of additional employ
ment bureaus will be asked by the state
labor department and it is probable
that this will be allowed, as it is said
that great deal of good has been
accomplished in finding work for the
unemployed through the medium of
these employment bureaus and that the
state labor department considers there
is no more effective branch of it's work
than these bureaus and that other es-
Establishments in all of the larger cities
of the %state would be of great value
to the workingmen.
1t is said some very interesting sta
tistics in regard to the value of these
bureaus will be presented by the state
labor department 1t is also likely that
legislation will be offered for additional
factory inspectors, or at least to allow
the state labor commissioner to employ
extra inspectors at certain times in the
year when he considers that their en-
ployment would be of value to the SER
vice and efficiency of the department.
Legislation viii also be offered and
stand a good chance of adoption linn
iting the ERnlber of hours of labor at
which wo2ap can be employed The
question or Jaws of this character being
constitutional is no longer in doubt
OtheY states have had them upheld in
the courts and while the general rule
is nat legislation of this character to
stand the constitutional test and escape
the cloud of being declared class legis-
alton must be for the good of the whole
public, it has been decided that the lin
iting of the hours which women can
work if for the good of the entire race
and that therefore the legislation is
constitutional. The bin for the limita-
tion of the hours which women shall
be allowed to work will have strong
backing before the legislature and the
friends of such a measure have strong
hopes of its adoption by the legislature.
Mrs. William Schmitz, Mrs John
Zaitlar and Miss Kit+ia Tacobc hove