The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-01-23
THIRTEENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
SHOWS LABOR WELL ORGANIZED
PRESIDENT MARSH IN MASTERFUL ADDRESS TREATS ON
WELFARE COMMISSION, IMMIGRATION AND OTHER VI
TAI LABOR SUBJECTS-AIMS DEATH BLOW AT EM
PLOYMENT AGENCY SHARKS. W

should be finally chosen to recommend
d minimum wage in the various To-
calltles to the state commission MANY
things had to be taken into considera.
tlon While the plain purport of the
law was to set a minimum wage at a
sum sufficient to allow women and
minors to become self-supporting. vet
varying conditions of industry had to
be taken into account What might
De considered a living wage i'm a given
industry in one locality, might not be
a living wage in another. because of
/ varying living cost. The commission
heIu IN several of the larger cities of
the state, preliminary hearings at
which both employers and emploves
were heard. AS far as was possible
accurate surveys We're made among
women workers as to their living cost
state Of employment, industrial and
nome surroundings In Justice to
those employers who met the law in
the proper spirit, it should be said
that many employers showed a will
mgness to meet the commission half
way, acknowledging that wage and
other conditions needed remedying
and evincing desire to cooperate in
that work. There is another class of
I employers that showed antagonism TO
the law and an utter disregard for the
WeI1are OF the women in their employ
Eltorts to discredit members of the
commission, and through them the
spirit OF the law, were not wanting
Such opposition was to be expected
and occasiOned no surprise There al
ways have been employing interests
that rocked nothing Of human happi-
ness and comfort in the quest for
wealth. 1t is because of those inter
ests that social legislation is neces-
sary.
The most perplexing problem fac
ing the commission is that of regulat-
ing the apprentice system in mercan-
tile establishments. 1t is obvious that
IN some lines of industry the appren-
uce system is necessary. 1t is Just as
obvious that greedy employers will
abuse the apprenticeship system. dis
charging their help as soon as it
reaches a stage of real efficiency.
That this practice is an economic
blunder all students of industry will
admit. but it remains as fact never
theless. The mania for cheap labor
in the minds of some employers causes
them to utterly disregard the real
worth to them of trained, efficient
workers, The commission is at work
attempting to solve the apprenticeship
problem in a manner which will not
work injustice to employers and which
Will still protect the women employees.
Final hearings to determine a mini
mum wage adequate to enable the
workers coming under this act to live
in decenCy and comfort will be held
early during the present year Com
missioner Olson has devoted much of
his time to the work of this commits
sion, as has every other member, in
an endeavOr to deal justly by the great
army Of women workers of this
state.
The Labor Press.
Il cannot find words to express my
appreciation of the work done by the
labor press during the year Space
has been freely given to the activities
of the federation. editorial comment
of the highest helpfulness offered. No
single arm of our movement does
more to advance our cause than our
press. Helpful, constructive, sympa-
thetic, the editors Of our labor papers
serve labOr's cause with a fidelity that
NltNtl y Is ilNlt' AillH ldSSlIlA lIIUUlts
The Job of running a labor publica-
tiOn is no siueCure I do not know of
any class of men who serve US with
less hope of pecuniary reward. who
are subject to more undeserved crti-
cism. Were our labor papers to be
suddenly wiped out of existence, a
hole would be torn in our armor that
would be well nigh irreparable 1t is
a repetition to say that the labor pa
pers do not receive the support they
should from the rank and file, but it
is a condition that every labor editor
knows to be true Many Of our people
will give up five or six dollars a year
for a daily newspaper which by no
stretch Of the imagination believes in
or supports our cause and refuse to
pay one dollar year for the support
OF their own organs. It ought not to
be so. Were our papers supported as
they should be. our movement would
grow by leaps and bounds. Publicity
is the greatest molder of public senti-
ment known Men shall know the
truth and the truth shall make men
free urge upon our people every
whore a deeper sense of loyalty to the
labor press, LOYALTY that the editor
can cash I'm at the grocery and meat
market
immigration.
"Because for generations we have
been assimuatiug. after fashion, the
peoples from foreian shores we have
grown to imagine that ours is a coun-
trv Of boundless resources and that
this process Of assimilation can go on
forever 1t is time to disabuse our
minds of that belief Uncle Sam has
but few cheap farms left to give At
the last land drawing held in Nebras-
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