Imperial Valley press., 1912-10-19

sation act of 1906 public General Acts,
6, Edward VII, 1907, PIP. 325-34s).
Italy-Codifed text of the law relat-
ing to industrial accidents to workmen
(Codification Approval by Royal De-
cree, No. 81. January 81, 1000.
France-Act of April g. 1898, relating
to the responsibility for accidents in
which workmen are injured during
their employment, amended by the
acts of March %. 1902: March 81, 1905;
and April II, 1906. other acts extend
ing and amending the provisions of
this act, June so, 1899; April IL, 1906;
July Is, 1907; May 30, 1909.
Spain-Law of January 80. 1900 Geg-
islacion del Trabajo-Instituto de Re-
formas Sociales, PIP. 9-13, Madrid, 19O5).
Russia-Law of June ., 15) 1908,
concerning compensation for accidents
to injured workmen and employees, as
well as to members of their families
in factories, mining and metallurgical
establishm
OF the lesser European nations, Nor-
way enacted laws covering these evils
in 1894; little Finland in 1895; Den
mark in 1898; Netherlands, 1901; Swe-
den, 1901; Luxermburg, 1902; Belgium,
1908; Hungary, 1907.
In the eastern hemisphere New Zea-
land met the problem in 1900; South
Australia in 1900; Western Australia
in 1902; Queensland in 1905.
The Transvaal enacted compensation
laws in 1907 following the Cape of
Good Hope, 1905
On our own continent we find British
Columbia enacting such laws in 1902;
in in
Beginning with the year 1871, moving
far forward in 1884, and enacting ad-
vanced legislation as recently as July,
1912, our two greatest industr'a al rivals
have carried through far reaching, re
ally revolutionary programs designed
to work out in the conservation of
human resources without laying any
real additional burden on legitimate
wealth or on the productive activity If
their people. In fact, Germany's indus
trial development since 1884 has been
one of the marvels of modern history.
The belief that this development is
due in large part to Germany's pioneer
work in making the democratic cam
paign of life saving a conscious ma
tional policy appears to be supported I'd
by the fact that all of Germany's Eu-
TOpedn rivals nave Deeu COHlpeileu, one
| after another, to follow her along this
same road of conscious social reform.
Says Prof. John L. Stewart of Lehigh h
/ University: Through their industrial
i codes Great Britain, Belgium, France,
Austria Hungary and particularly Ge"
| many have safeguarded the present
! generation by compreh ensive laws re
| lating D the labor of women and child
rem. In the United States the dispar
| ity in state laws is a source of great
confusion. Not only does such inequal-
| ity render enforcement of law difficult
but the states with regulation well ad
vanced lay burdens upon merchants
and manufacturers as against their
competitors across the state line which
they consider unfair. The legislation
of Germany establishes minimum
| standard for the protection of WON Ell
and children and il is expressly pro
vided that nothing shall prevent tht
4 different states of the empire from en-.
acting more stringent laws. The in
dustrial position of children and wo
men in many of our states has no par.
i allel in modern econ omic Europe. II
view Of this halting attitude, whicl
may be expected in many Of the state'
where the need of reform is greatest
federal action is necessary. This would
establish standard below which tn,
81 nation cannot safely permit any of it:
parts to fall
"As an additional instrument for pro
tecting the economically weak ther'
has been developed the minimum wa g
standard. This was first applied
1896 in Victoria and later in the othe
: Australian states and New Zealand
: Ninety-one trades are now regulated
, | ana wages have risen all around th'
J tandard instead of the minimum was,
becoming the standard wage, as Coz
. eTnOr Wilson asserts would be the case
! Great Britain in 1909 passed min
nam wage act which fixes the mini
: mum rate in eliminating, tailorin :
% cardboard box and machine lacemak
} ing. AS 4 result of this law the loves
. wages paid in these trades have bee
raised from so per cent to 80 per cent
This year Great Britain enacted min
imum wage law for all undergroui.t
? workers in coal mines. Germany ha
also provided for wage boards; an
i France, Belgium, Austria Hungary an
switzerland have similar bills unde
j consideration"
These are few-a very few-of tn
facts behind the proposals of the Prog
ressive party platform. In the ligh
of these facts, does that platform ap
. pear very dangerous" Does it no
: rather seem to be the case that Will
: we of the United States have bee
content to look at the mere size an,
= a ctivity of our Industries with self
satisfaction and to speak of them witt
, boasting, the complex life of the grea
world, ever moving on and on in a
endless process of change and growth
has swept far beyond us toward tn
real civilization which we have onl,
: begun dimly to perceive? Does it no
] begin to appear that we must pocke
our pride, face the fleeing facts an
make a determined effort to catch Vi
| with the life of the world? And ma
il not be that this social and industria
| justice" far from being a dream O
Missionaries" is the most practical
matter in the world today for reall
"practical' men to consider?
One of the most vital of our prob
lens as a nation today is the not s.
simple matter of Catching up wit
Europe" The Progressive party /
pointing out the first necessary stel