The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-12-07
LABOR LEGISLATION
FOR YEAR REVIEWED
Fine Progress Made By Several
States to Protect Rights Of
Labor.

The American Association for La
Dor legislation has issued, from it's
headquarters in New York, a bulletin
describing the labor laws passed by
congress and by state legislatures
during 1912. In referring to the mat
ter of labor legislation, the secretary
of the association, DR.. John B. An
drews, says:
'Of special significance in the labor
legislation Of this year are two Massa-
chusetts laws, one providing for MIMI
mum wage boards and the other for
reorganization of factory inspection.
More stringent laws in several states
requiring notification of industrial ac-
cldents and diseases and the enact
ment Of workmen's compensation
measures by four additional states,
Arizona, Michigan, Rhode Island and
Maryland, are also of first Importance.
Federal labor legislation is notice.
ably increasing in volume, and con-
gress this year enlarged the scope Of
the eight-hour and the government
employees accident compensation
measures OF more than ordinary
significance, too, are the prohibition
of poisonous PHOSPHORUS matches
through the use of the federal taxing
power, and the authorization of an
industrial relations commission
The report states that not less than
300 labor bills were introduced this
year in congress alone, while the state
legislatures ground out their share Of
the annual grist.
Seven states passed new or
strengthened old laws relating to the
notification of accidents, and two
states, Maryland and New Jersey,
joined the former half-dozen requir-
ing physicians to report occupational
diseases, according to the report.
Regulations for the purpose Of pre-
venting industrial injuries by the use
of safety devices on dangerous ma
chinery and exhaust hoods over poi
SonOus fumes, were also numerous
The report says that in several
states the number of factory inspec-
tors is Increased and there is a ten
dency to have women inspectors see
that the laws are enforced in estab-
lishments where women are employed
Ten Of the 13 states legislatures in
which child labor bills were intro.
duced passed laws on the subject.
Inc tendency is toward shorter
hours with higher minimum age re-
strictions and the prohibition of night
work. louisiana, however, has read
mitted her children to the stage.
OF the four new workmen's COM
pensation laws, Maryland's is purely
voluntary; Michigan's and Rhode
Islands are "elective,'' with the pro-
vision for cutting off the employers
common law defenses if he does not
elect to come under it, while that of
Arizona processes to be of the rare
compulsory type. The federal bill to
provide compensation for injured
railway employees, passed the senate,
but died in the house.
The action Of congress In establish
Ing the eight-hour day for contract
and sub-contract work done for the
government is likely to be far reach
ing in effects, according to the report.
rive states have passed laws limit,
ing the working hours Of men in pri.
vate employments. Arizona has es-
tablished the eight-hour day for mines
and shelters; New Jersey the ten
hour day in bakeries; Massachusetts
regulates the working hours Of motor
of railroad employees, while Mississip-
pi has passed sweeping ten-hour
law.
In touching upon immigration, the
report states that Arizona by new
law excludes aliens from public en-
ployment. AS to woman's work, il
is stated that a notable achievement
of 1912 in labor legislation is the
minimum wage law of Massachusetts,.
the first experiment of the kind In
America. Through publicity, it is
explained, it Is believed that public
opinion will force employers in any
INDUSTRY to pay the minimum wage
determined by the state wage board.
Kentucky, Maryland and New
Jersey have passed ten-hour laws for
women Last years eight-hour laws
In California and Washington have
been upheld by the supreme courts.