The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-10-17

de Reformas Seciales--pp. 9r13, Ma
drid, 1905). III &,
+" RUSSIA. Law of June 2,I(1JT
1903, Concerning Compensation 10
Accidents to Injured Workmen a. =,
Employees. as Well as to MemH :,
Of Their Families in Factories,W =,
ing and Metallurgical Esta a
mentS .".r.'E .- |-s ~ f"ESn> ,
OF the lesser European nations,
Norway enacted laws covering these
evils in 1894; little Finland, in 1885,
Denmark in 1S9S; Netherlands,
1901; Sweden, 1901; Luxemburg; i
1902; Belgium, 1909; Hungary,
1907. .''S,>:5 %r',i m S.s 81 7;
In the Eastern Hemisphere, New
Zealand met the problem III 19OGs
South Australia in 1900s Western
Australia in 1902; Queensld dnffs rs
1906. &,n IS .@$ sS5$
The Transvaal enacted comperisa-
tion laws in 1907 following the
Cape of Good Hope, in 1905. p y
On our own continent <wa Hpd
British Columbia enacting such laws
in 1902; Alberta in 19OS;;@ Quebec IN :
1909 .'~ -, t{aas IS, sS
Beginning with The year ,sf87SI.E
moving far forward in 1884, and, en-
acting advanced legislation as re-
Gently as July, 1912, our two great
est industrial rivals have carried
through far-reachfng, really reyo1u-
ticnary programs designed to work
out In the conservation Of human
resources without laying any real ad-3
ditional burden on legitimate wealth
or on the productive activity Of their
people. In fact, Germany's .,indus-a
trial = development since 1884 mas (.
been one of the marvels Of modern ],
history. The belief that this deyel-.
opment- is due in large. part It'd Ger
pioneer work in making the,
democratic campaign of life-saying
a conscious national policy appears
to be "suppTrte d~%by tho }fac ~
OF Germany's European rivals have
been compelled, one after another.
to follow her along this same road N
Of conscious social reform. %,s
Says Prof. John = Stewart, of La7
high University, Through their ia-t%t
dustrial Codes Great Britain, Bell
gium, France, Austria; Hungary, and
particularly Germany, have safe,
safeguarded the present generation
by comprehensive laws relating to &
the labor Of women and children I'm q
the United States the disparity in (;
state laws is source Of great CON-
fusion. Not only does such inequal-
lty render enforcement of law diff
cult, but the states with regulation
we'll advanced lay burdens upon
merchants and manufacturers as
against their competitors aePess Ae-
state line which they consider un-
faira The legislation of Germany
establishes a minimum standard for
the protection Of women and child
rem and 1t is expressly provided that
nothing shall prevent the different
states of the Empire. from enacting 4,
more stringent laws The indussr
trial position. Of children and womena
in many Of our states has no parr
allel in modern economic Europe. In
view of this halting attitude, which,
may be expected N many of tha
states where the need Of reform is
greatest federal action is necessary
This would establish a standard be-
low which the nation cannot per-
NIT any Of its parts to fall. Ri
''As an additional instrument for
protecting the economically weak
there has been developed the mint
mum wage standard This was first
applied in 1896 in Victoria and later
in the other Australian states and
New Zealand Ninety-one trades
are now regulated and wages have
risen all around the standard In
stead of the minimum wage be-
coming the standard wage, as Cover
norWilson asserts would be the case
Great Britain IN 1909 passed q Min
imum Wage Act which fixes the, min
piece work in ;chain-making, tailor
ing, cardboard box and machine
lace making. AS a result Of this
law the lowest wages paid I'M these
trades have been raised from so per
cent. to 80 per cent. This year
Great Britain enacted minimum
wage law for all underground work
ers in coal minesI Germany. has
also provided for wage boards; and
France, Belgium, Austria+HnRgary,
and Switzerland have similar bills
under consideration"
Thocn uary
Of the facts behind the proposals
Of the Progressive Party platform
in the light Of these facts does that
platform appear very 'uanRarous?"
Does it not rather seem 10 pa the
case that while we OF the United