The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-02-10

the mixed up refuse OF daily living and
ncessant toll; rank with the germs Of
the dread disease that come from hung
er and crowding and promiscuous living;
cold and eheerless and sad. Only a
sort of workshop, but worse, for here
there are no laws against long hours,
child labor, unsanitary conditions, only
incessant toll for less than enough TO
pay for daily bread. Seventy.fye per
cent. of all the finishing work done in
the garment industry OF New York is
done in this way. Not only is this form
OF work in itself intolerable, but it
drags down the scale of wages in the
factory work and seriously menaces the
health of the rest OF the population.
No home is so far away from New York
that one of these infected garments may
not reach it. The contractors say that
| ii any one concern abolishes home work,
il will at once be ruined by competi-
ton with others which do not. This
may or may not be true, but the ques-
ton should not be left for the disput-
ing parties to decide. In a case so in
timately bound up with the welfare of
the whole community, the conditions
should be regulated by the law. The
day of sophistical Justice is waning.
The executive council of the American
Federation of Labor has under considera-
ton the Page industrial education bill,
which Is now before the United States
Senate. This bill is meritorious one
and increases the educational facilities
in the United States to such an extent
as to reach boys and girls in all walks
OF life, bring the opportunity TO such
close proximity as to make it easy 20
secure an education, general in character
or in special lines, as may be desired.
There is another bill called the Lever
industrial education bill, which has passed
the House, but its provisions do not nf
ford the educational privileges proyld
ed for in the Page bill The Page bill |
has been before the Senate on numcr-
GUS occasions and recently the Lever
bill was up for consideration and mo-
ton was made to substitute the Page |
bill for the Lever bill. This undoubtedly |
will bring about compromise by add
ing to the Lever bill the salient provi-
sions of the Page bill.
The fifth week of the New York strike
of garment workers in the mems cloth
ing industry for shorter week, in
crease in wages and general improve
ment in working conditions has just
closed. During the recent past two in
1iyidual temporary injunctions have been
granted to two manufacturing compan-
les, while on Jan. %, blanket injunc
ton, applicable to the former employees
IF the nineteen members of the New
York Clothing Trades association was
granted temporarily. Appeals for finan
.ial aid have been issued by the gen
rial secretary of the United Garment
Workers of America, as funds are great
Y needed, and the members of the United
garment Workers throughout the coun-
ry are urged to respond generously and
to this appeal While the in
referred to prohibit practically
very activity of the garment workers,
till the campaign is being prosecuted
With just as much vigor as prior to the
ssue OF these injunctions. Negotiations
re in progress for settlement, but up
0 the present time no definite under
landing has been reached.
Alex. lronside,
Correspondent.