The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-03-25
Bill Before House Gives Bureau
- of Labor Supervision Of
Management.
SEMI-MONTHLY PAY DAY
BILL KILLED IN SENATE
Representative Hillman Wants
Employment Agencies Abol- :
ished, State Should Hire Men
Special Correspondence.
(By w. e. McEwen.)

(By w. e. McEwen.)
ST. PAUL March 24.-The house
committee on labor recommended for
passage Tuesday, H. F. SIT, a bill
TO regulate licensed employment
agents. The bill was introduced at
the instigation of the bureau of la
Dor, and its purpose Is to overcome
a weakness in the existing law. A
number of employment agents from
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth ap-
peared before the committee, at first
in opposition to the bill, but after
going over the situation with friends
of the bill, they decided to get be-
hind it.
The bill gives the bureau of labor
the same control over employment
agencies that the insurance depart
ment has over insurance companies.
A few important amendments were
consented to, and as the bill is re-
commended to the house it will be in
much better shape than it was when
introduced. If the bill becomes law
it will prevent employment agents
from taking a registration fee from
applicants for employment.
Clerical Agencies Must Go.
This abuse is complained of by VIC
Tins of agencies which make it a
specially to secure clerical positions.
The practice of these agencies is to ex-
act a registration fee first, and if a
position is secured they demand a fee
equal to twenty-five per cent of the
first months wages.
Representatives Hillman's bill abol-
fShinpr fconSo6
and giving the state the sole right to
mended for indefinite postponement
The bill was favored by. most men,
~bers~ of ~-.' committees. but they.
thought the state was not in a posi-
ton to take such an extreme step at
this time.
Must Give Strike Notice.
Mr.. Hillman,, who is the only So
cialist in the legislature, has several
important labor bills before the house.
He received a favorable report last
week on his bill making it unlawful
for employers to advertise for men
during strikes without informing them
that a strike, lockout or other Ia
Dor disturbance" existed. There is
considerable opposition to the bill.
The bill of Representative. Camp
bell, which passed the house early
in the session, requiring public SER
vice corporations to pay their en-
ployees at least twice a month, was
killed in the senate this week.
Railroads Fought the Bill
The railroads fought the bill des-
perately, bringing to the senate a
large number of their employees to
testify that they did not want their
pay twice month. However. most
Of these employees in their unions.
voted in favor of the bill. Several
senators lodged the bill and left the
chamber while the vote was taken.
Labor is very much interested in
H. F. 455, introduced by Mr.. Knutson,
and which Is a bill for an act to
aid in the prevention and settlement
of strikes and lockouts where ten or
more workmen are employed.
Compulsory Arbitration Sought.
The bill is copy of the Canadian
law on arbitration, and prohibits a
strike or lockout from being declared
until the state has had an opportunity
to investigate into the causes there
for. The bill has many good features,
but its compulsory provisions have
met with many objections. A commit
tee from the labor organizations is
studying the bill.
Representative Lundeen is strong
champion of labor legislation. Mr..
Lundeen comes from Minneapolis, and
he has to his credit several bills of
great Importance to the working
classes. He succeeded In getting
through the house his measure rais-
ing the limitation for death by wrong
full act from $1,000 to $500. Now
he is the champion of bill fixing
48 hours as the maximum time that
a woman can be employed. His bill
is before the committee on labor.
Peonage Law to Be Repealed.
A movement is on foot to secure
the repeal of section 51S7 of the re-
vised laws of 1905. which law prac-
tically legalizes peonage in Minneso-
ia. Under it men can be imprisoned
unless they work out the railroad fare
advanced to them by employers.
In an opinion handed down by Jus,
tice Hughes of the United States Su-
preme court, the Alabama law. which
is very similar to the statute in
question in Minnesota, was held to
be invalid, because it was contrary
to the spirit and letter of the four
teenth amendment to the constitution
of the United States, and tended to
imprison men for debt.
Anticipation is greater than realiza-
ton. He who anticipates the wants