Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-06-06
For Union Workers
Important Happenings in
 Industrial Circles in This Country and Europe

work of the past year in the matter of legal protection for the working man shows that the sentiment is find ing practical expression in the en- actment of laws. No less than 40 legislatures have enacted laws for the promotion of the health, comfort and safety of the millions who toll in fac tory, workship and mine. Three states i'll 1911 passed laws providing accident compensation for injured employees, and six states. for the first time ln this country, now require the report ing of several well-defined occupa- tlonal diseases and industrial poison ings. The scheme. of elective compen- sation is adopted in California, Illinois, Kansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Wisconsin,; compulsory compen sation, modified by the rule of com parative negligence in Nevada; an elective insurance system i'll Massa- chusetts and Ohio, and in Washington state insurance system compulsory as to certain enumerated employments and elective as to all others. The em' pioyer bears the cost in all states eX- cept Ohio, where the employe con tributes ten per cent. of the insurance fund. In states where legislation upon this subject has not been enacted com- missions are making Investigations with tho purpose of framing new stat utes.
 Charleston, w. Va.--The West Vir- ginia State Federation of Labor is preparing to make determined fight for labor legislation before the next session of the legislature. Secretary Snyder is preparing data to present to the coming convention relating to laa bor's legislative needs in the states' Local uniona throughout the state. are coming into the state federation, "a general organizing: co1spaigni being in progress. The most successful year in the history of organized labor in West Virginia is predicted. .65s t3 z
 New York.--Eocoriotive engineers, on all railroads, in the. east'erl 'terfis tory have made deiiiands for a gen eral increase in wages ranging from 15 to 25 per cent. The demands in-
 
 north of the line of the Norfolk and | Western railway and of the Ohio river. The obect is to standardize the wage scale on all lines in this terri tory as was done by the train men and conductors in 1910.
 Lisbon, Portugal.-The agricultural strike which broke out on January i,,f <J;o lent rioting and conflicts between the strikers and the military, has now terminated. The laborers have in nearly all instances returned to work. A large number of persons injured during the rioting are being treated in the hospitals.
 lndianapolis.-Th boy scout move ment came under the ban of the Unit ed Mine Workers of America, along with the Civic Federation, when the miners convention adopted an amend. ment to the constitution providing ! that no one connected with the boy scouts shall be permitted to be a member of the Miners union.
 New Orleans.-All troubles with the 1 timbermens union have been settled i and all sawmills in Louisiana and east Texas, with one exception. have i resumed operations, according to a statement by John H. Kirby of Texas, chairman of the executive committee of the Sawmill Operators association. | Portland, Ore.-Portland city coun- cil appropriated $10,000 to be used in the payment for work to be provided for the unemployed. The work will consist of grubbing stumps in the city parks, breaking rocks at the city's quarry for surfacing streets and road building
 London. Eng--The significance of the British cotton struggle may be l appreciated when it is understood that the unions have fund of $1,250,000. and can call on the Federation of Trades Unions for $25.000 week for three weeks.
 Boston.-The Massachusetts state board of education is sending circu- lars to local labor unions throughout the state, urging 'Sembers of unions to qualify for positions in the state l aided vocational schools of Massachu- sets.
 l Lcndon. Eng.-The Miners Fedora l tion of Great Britain Is one of the best organized unions in the United Kingdom. It has a large emergency l fund on hand and is prepared for long struggle with the operators.
 ngton.-United States census figures just issued show that during l the decade preceding 1910 the percen- I tage of women breadwinners in this country increased Al. while the male breadwinners increased only Is.
 Minneapolis. s.-'The locomotive en- nigneers on all the Northeastern rail- roads, which include all the local sys- l tens, have decided to make a uniform request for more wages and better conditions on all of them.
 < London, Eng.-Stokers, station ary enginemen and haulage enginemeh en-