Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-08
LABOR LAW BILLS
PASSED BY HOUSE
McDermott's Bills Extending
Laws Scope, Adopted After
a Debate.

TRENTON, April S.-After a warm
debate, in which Minority Leader
Richards led the opposition. two of
Assem- blyman Walter L. McDermott's
bills, which purpose q wider extern
sion of the application of the labor
laws, were passed by the Assembly
yesterday.
The surprise of the day was the
opposition by Assemblyman Arthur
A. Quinn, known as a labor member.
His attitude against the bill could
not be explained. The storm aroused
by the Introduction of the bills CEN
tired round the passing of Assembly
bill No. 675 in the form of COM
nittee substitute.
The substitute, like that for Assem-
bly, bill No. 677, which was also
passed. was put in because the origi-
nal bills amended by these substi-
tutes had been introduced before the
labor probe was completed and were
merely pegs on which to hang the
real bills, which now appear as COM
mittee substitutes. Concerning House
bill No. 675, Assemblyman McDer-
mott said:
Mines Unprotected.
AT the present time the mines are
unprotected. The bills are all copied
from the New York acts. There has
been gross neglect for the past ten
years in New Jersey In this matter
by the Legislature. This bill depends
to certain extent upon the other
bills creating a board of labor"
Assemblyman Richards, opposing
/. the bill said: ut seems ridiculous to
pass this bill before another bill, Gre
ating this board of labor is passed.
1t is a joke bill in view of that fact"
Assemblyman McDermott said that
Tin 1904 Governor Murphy and his
secretary and the present labor COM
missioner got together and drafted a
new labor law with a repeater of
several other labor laws, which was
nothing short of a conspiracy against
labor"
Assemblyman Quinn, of MiddleseX,
who Is a State officer of the Fedora
ton of Labor. in opposition to
the bill, charged that Assemblyman
McDermott is insincere In bringing
the bill forward.
Assemblyman McDermott replied to
that charge: at do not see how any
labor man can honestly challenge my
sincerity in offering these bills, when
I have spent so much OF my time and
effort in investigating conditions and
bringing these bills into the House.
1t is part of the opposition of the
gentleman from Middlesex to say that
| am not sincere
Assemblyman McDermott then
went after Senator Walter L. Edge OF
Atlantic County. president of the
economy and efficiency committee,
and scored him on his attitude to-
ward labor while the probe of the
Labor Department was going on
senator Edge Defended.
In defense Of Senator Edge, Assem-
blyman Richards said: This bill is
not desired by the Economy and Ell
cheney Commission and Mr.. MoDer-
mott has drawn It on his own hook.
lie has adroitly intimated that this
is one of the bills which the Economy
and Efficiency Commission desires to
have passed, when such Is not the
case.
"It is very hard for some people TO
live up to the regulations of their dis
tlnguished sires, / fancy this play
to the galleries in this attack upon
another man is an attempt to get a
certain name in the newspapers which
formerly had great weight with the
community"
II accept the tribute to the. honor
and the memory of the man whose
name / bear" said Assemblyman Nc
DtIiHOll Ill TtSDOllSts w hat L wished
to call attention to was that the
other members of the Economy and
Efficiency Commission, after suggest
ing that ninety-fiVe men should lose
their places and their salaries In con-
nection with other economy meas
ures, have gone on record as being Of
the opinion that the commissioner of
labor Is too highly paid, and yet pro-
posing that he be continued at the
Coz e,nI Low ha
and receive the same amount to the
end of his term"
Assembly bill 677 provides for the
safety of labor In building trades and
requires that all scaffolding, plat
forms and the like used in repairs,
painting or any purpose shall be
properly safeguarded or else the COM
missioner OF labor Is empowered to
interfere. inspect and require the
proper safeguarding. Those who re-
fuse to obey the law must pay n fine
of $50 and the commissioner of labor
is instructed to enforce the payment
of the fine.
This bill was passed by unanimous
vote.
House bin 677 also passed but
there were eight votes cast against
It, The vote on this bill was 3S to 8.
Those who voted against the bill
were Assemblymen Conrad, Godfrey,
Hammond, Hates, Moore, Pancoast,
Peacock and Weart, all Republicans
House bill 675 requires the board
Of labor to inspect mines, prevent
children working in them whoN are
under the age OF sixteen years and
within sixty days make rules and
regulations insuring the health and
safety of workers in mines, quarries
and tunnels on these Ines to insure
safe egress, proper ventilation and
timbering; to regulate riding on load
ed cars. storing inflammable mate
rails, use of steam boilers and ma
chinery. blasting and the use Of ex-
plosives.