The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-05-09
SEC. IRoNSIDE REPLIES.
Labor Legislation Not All That Could
Be Desired But Educatiye.

Editor, Times; In reply to the arti-
Gle published in yesterdays issue Of
The Times and inserted by the execu-
tive board Of the c. L. T., wish
briefly TO state my position thereon.
In writing correspondence to the Ameri-
can Federationist from time to time,
organizers are instructed 60 condense
all matter in as brief manner as
possible; in fact. we have no room 10
criticise any measure, be il of an i'm
dustrial or legislative nature, merely
common statement Of facts This |
have done to the best Of my knowledge
and ability / claimed no honor for
any particular organization in the work
done during the past legislative session,
holding2the opinion that all who contrib
uted to the various questions under
consideration were entitled to equal
thanks for their iabors.
it is no fault of organized labor that
the employers liability bill, passed in
the last legislature, is not Of the same
merit az Senator Gordon's bill, which
was identical with the one drawn up
by the Vermont State branch. The
fact remains, nevertheless. that it Is
d liability bill and will at least do
some good to the railroad employees OF
the state who are not engaged in in
terstate commerce. 1t Is a start in the
right direction and will no doubt be
amended in future legislatures to con
form to the time and aspirations Of
the labor men and women Of Vermont
As to the voluntary compensation
plan, | gladly apologize for the in
correct report circulated / inserted it
with the other matters on the informa.
tion | received from senator's and rep
resentatives alike and my colleagues
can bear out my statement before any
impartial body Of labor men
As TO the compulsory investigation
bill, introduced by Senator Gordon, it
would seem as if the c. l.. Y. execu-
tive board were determined at all haz-
ards to fix upon me- as secretary Of the
state federation, the guilt of being
co-partner with Senator Gordon in its
introduction Such is not the case,
however, and | have already told my
brother granite workers from the floor
OF the Barre opera house my position
on such questions Furthermore, it was
at the request of the state federation
that hearing was granted on this
measure, when it opposed the measure
by sending representative men to Mont
pelier from various cities in the state
am sure that any unbiased trade
unionist, who was at those hearings,
will grant that other organizations than
the granite cutters helped to defeat
what was intended to destroy any
mutual feeling or good will already
existing between employers and EN-
ployes.
On compulsory compensation, this
must be said, that the State Fedora
tion of Labor spared no effort to have
senators and representatives alive to
the fact that compulsory compensation
was required for the working men and
women Of our state When it was APP
parent that it would be impossible to
carry such measure without first
amending the state constitution, our
efforts turned in that direction, with
the result that the citizens Of Vermont
have time to study and analyze this
important question before voting on it
at the next state election | admit
IneTe Is MUCH utfdl ui sucn HdtIeTss
but, nevertheless, am satisfied in my
own mind that we gained a point which
will be worked out to the satisfaction
OF all fair-mnded people
On the child labor law, beg to in
form the G. Il Z executive board
that the amendment was introduced by
the Child Labor league of Vermont and
by the State Federation OF
Labor. by the way of interviews with
senators and representatives There
were no hearings on the bill, it having
the support of all parties in its pass
age.
In conclusion. let me again state that |
though we have failed to have meas
ures passed in their original setting, |
the fact remains. the c. L. L execu- |
tive board notwithstanding that the |
work of organized labor in the last |
session Of the Vermont legislature COM
pares favorably with its predecessors;
pares favorably with its predecessors
nature has been undoubtedly one Of /
the most educative / have seen in the |
past ten years.
Alex Ironside
% Ayers street, Barre, Vt, May Q, 1911. |
Mavor percivaI w. Clement of Rut /