The Washington times., 1913-12-12
Labor Laws Will
Be Forced Upon
Congress in Few
Weeks for Action

can give the States the right to shut or
the business of convict labor In gen
eral, the States are willing to do this
IL the way thereto Is cleared for them
by Congress.
The report of the Commiss'dser OF
Labor back as far as 1906 showed ths.
value of the goods produced In the penal
institutions was $4,000, coo. While there
are no up-to-date figures, this total has
doubtless been much increased. The
various lines Of manufacture. but worse
tnan this the system has had grave ef-
fects on the convicts.
For Sake of Humanity.
The House Committee on Labor in dis
cussing the subject In its report In IA
vor Of the lending bill, said:
Humanity and health alike require
that these unfortunate individuals should
have both employment and exercise;
and sound policy dictates that such en-
pioyment should be directed In channels
the cost Of their maintenance. lest they
should become too great q charge upon
the public. Had the practice Of all the
States confined itself within the limits
OF health for the prisoner and such re-
turns for his labor as would repay the
cost of maintenance, II is NOT probabie
that any economic issue would ever
have grown out Of our prison system.
But m course Of time the enforced labor
OF numerous individuals under single
management attracted both public and
private cupidity; and in some American
commonwealths the unhappy convict has
been exploited not only to the profit OF
the State, but the products Of his labor
have become a menace to the economic
Through the influence of prison con-
tractors. it Is anticipated that strenu-
Gus opposition Will be made to this bill
In the Senate IL the House does pass
1t; stu II probably win go through,
position. for 1t has already passed the
Senate. If the House passes 1t, IL win
become law. Testimony on this bill
before the committees Of Senate and
House have shown some serious abuses
in the District. and In any event. as the
House Committee on Labor says in its
report, 'the long hours and continuous
application required from women work
ers In our industries have been a great
drain upon the vitality of those who
generations"
For Favorable Report.
, The House Labor COMMITTEES will
doubtless make q favorable report soon
on a bill for a bureau of labor safety
in the Department Of Labor. Congress
man Mann has such bill and Con-
gresham Bremner has another. They
differ in some respects. and the com
mittee probably will report out q bill
containing the strong points Of each.
The purpose Is to have bureau In
the department which will promote in
every feasible way the use Of safety
devices, methods for preserving the
venting Industrial diseases. and the like.
The field of operations for such a bu-
reau Is a wide one.
One part of the proposed legislation
may provide foi the employment Of ex.
1t shall be to promote the study and
use of safety devices and methods for
preserving the health Of employees.
Other Questioned Due.
Other questions the committee will
consider this winter include child labor.
a general eight-hour day for women and
girls in industry, general eight-hour
day for labor. bills to prevent use Of the
Taylor system and similar "stop-watch"
systems. and any measures which seem
es ssential to strengthen the Department
O? Labor. The Committee on Labor does
not have jurisdiction Of the anti-in-
junction question. OF arbitration and
kindred matters. or of legislation relat-
ing to employees of railroads and COM
mon carriers. These subjects VIII De
taken up before the proper committees.
One of the complaints OF labor now
is that the Department Of Labor Is be-
ing crirpled by insufficient appropria-
tions. The House Appropriations Com
nlittee will be asked to deal with II
more liberally So much has 1t been
Skinned that high-paid clerk OF the
department told a caller the other day
he was compelled to clean the spittoon
for his office and that in his particular
division. seven men were being required
to do what nineteen men had done De-
fore certain bureaus of the Department
OF Commerce and Laoor were trans
ferred to the Department OF Laner
Whether the meager appropriations for
this department are the results OF tgnor-
ance or an attempt to cripple II will
doubtless be made clear before long.