The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-10
ORGANIZER CLARK
 DEN0UNCES PRISON
 CONTRACT LABOR
Compensation Com. Bucking- ham Tells of Operation of
 GOmpensation Act.
GOMPERS CALLED "GRAND
 OLD MAN OF LABOR
State Federation Delegates At tend Smoker in Hibernian Hall and Hear [
 Speeches.


 clear and sparkling light. for 1t was hned with remarks that spread light for the coming generations of labor.
 With the call of the roll at 80. the full quota of 96 delegates responded. Francis J. Clark of Worcester, Mass national organizer for the Boot and Shoe Makers division of the Ameri- can Federation of Labor, and A. Mo Andrews of Chicago in similar capaci- ty for the Tobacco workers Of A1neri- ca and the Trades Labor League, spoke at length.
 The speech of Organizer Clark teern- ed with human interest as he told Of the hardships worked upon labor in terests through the employment of contract labor systems in the Con necticut and other state prisons. He. ] told of the unsanitary methods ern- ployed by contract labor and the ad- Eantages that both the buyer and worker upon anfon-nade goods secure. f17e adyocated that every effort be drought to abolish prison labor and keep up fair wage Scale-sand the i general increase Of the industry which Fcontract labor now mininnizes- In clcsing he pointed strongly to the fact lthat organized labor works for hu- 1nanity's good.''-,s
 Organizer McAndrews, after showing that undonisrn had increased over 5O0,- Ooo in growth during the past year. took up the subject of child labor. es- lpeeiadly fu the tobacco industry of the south Every effort, he said. was be- { ing made by the American FNedera- ! ton of Labor to stop the use of wo- men and children because it was not only ininicable to labor interests, btu because of the great and increasing development Of tuberculosis in their, ranks. -
 In citing instances of the southland he showed that tobacco WAS brought from tll hot fields and little children, and women compelled to work long hours in closely heated rooms, where the odor and dust produced disease and death.
 Tn connection with remarks upon the union label and its use he said that by using no goods not bearing the label many of the reforms now sought by labor could be. accom- plished.
 compensation Commissioner George Chandler spoke SlApon the general workings of the act in -hfs district, comprising New London and Wind ham counties. Since the inception of the law, January l., he has had before him 3,727e eases. 8sss of which were claims with 655 settlements. Still pendfng before him are A cases. But ss deaths were reported under the act
 Commissioner Chandler reported $100, ,Oe0 made in settlements under his Jurisdiction. Hearings to the number of 75 had been held, and 11 settle ments made during the hearings; l defau1ted, and ? were still held for final settlement. Tn one case second hearing became necessary. s
 One of the Constructions placed upon the law by Comnissioner Chandler was that after an accident and recov- cry. the employer must give employ nent to the injured man A rising vote of thanks was tendered him by the assembled delegates.
 The credentials committee reported the acceptance of several delegates who arrived late. Additional resolu- tions were referred to the committee.
 Delegate Holman of the Machinists' Union. Waliingford, made short ad- dress upon general labor conditions in his city.
 State Organizer John E. Riley of Danbury in an address upon the work accomplished during the past year recommended that more money be ap- propriated to further the work
 State Labor Conmissi oner Patrick Comedy, of Danbury, former secre- xary of the state branch of the Amer fcan Federation of Labor, in a few words stated that the gathering here this year was one of the largest and most enthusiastic he had attended He commended the showing of the men in Mondays parade and speak ing of the compensation act praised it's measures while he prophesied that it had not as Yet eaeKeds its ultimate goal and would eventually be even more beneficial to labor than it was at present
 President Samuel Gompers, head of the American Federation of Labor, was referred to as fThe Grand Did Man of Organized Labor and it was hoped that his life will be continued +T, +uiI Jn5 Ia Sx-o1t the destinies of labor.
 Compensation Commissioners, Ed ward T. Buckingham of Fairfield v county in an address to the body re- : ferred to his privilege of addressing g the labor delegates in times passed ana n granting them the freedom and privileges of the city, which in his; unofficfal capacity he still granted the n1enbers.
 The compensation act he said had worked out better than the framers had anticipated Tn eight months in this county he had held but ? hear ings, which demonstrated that every means of safeguarding life in this county was being~ made especially during the latter months of the acts effect. In Fairfield county there had been 2,400 accident eases reported. During the first month 50 per cent were injury to fingers, hands and arms.
 In closing the Commissioner found conditions good in general for the betterment of the working people un- der the present hard driving condi- ffons. He expressed himself as al- ways being, is now and ever expects to be a WofkfngTnan, and as such he beI4eS ed the act a good thing for la- Dor. He invited all those desiring information on the workings of the act tos visit his office assuring them that any request made will be claeer fully considered and compiled with Wl&%re possible.
 one minute period of silent nedi- tation was accorded the memory ot the late Past Federation President Eli Brunneu, Of Hartford, by the convention
 FsolIomfng the conclusion of svekter.