Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-08-12

here I would recommend that our con-
stitution be amended to require a report
from our executive committee and
treasurer only. The legislative committee
could report to the executive committee
and it's report would be embodied in the
executive committees report to the con-
vcntion. This would be following a
precedent established by the a. f. of l..
and does away with duplication of work
and would save the time of conventions
The organized labor movement of Yer
mont is not what It should be. There
must he a great deal Of hard work done
10y some one and that means by thu
state branch of thosc unions affiliated to
the STATE federation before oar move
mont has it's rightful place IN the affairs
and policies of our State in dealing with
labor
our existing unions must he strength
oned, now unions must he formed and it
is the duty Of our State branch to see
to 1t that strong, persistent agitation for
organized labor along the lines advocated
by the A. f. of L. is carried on until
We have all of the new unorganized wage
workers within our ranks.
great work of education must be
done among the large numbers of fellow
workers who have come to this state
from foreign lands our movement Is
big enough for alive want all wage
workers. regardless of soX, creed. color
or nationality We realize how diff
cult it is to get all of these workers to-
Gethor and to have them understand our
trades union movement. its ideals and
objects, but we are satisfied that no.
other movement in this or any other
state in the country has done more to
educate, uplift care for and AmeriCanize
the adult foreigner coming among lis
than has tho organized labor movement
We hope that the conviction might be
borne in upon all the workers Of our
state that organization is the only sure
means for assuring their protection and
furtherinC their wel-tcing The working
conditions and wages among the unor-
gained marble workers of Vermont are
disgrace to the fair name Of the State
The textile mills are in about the same
condition, in SO far as labor is concern
ed, as the marble industry. These are
the two largest fields for organization
work. Several attempts have been made
to organize tho upwards of four thousand
Vermont marble workers in the past
without lasting success but our slogan
is Never give up till victory crowns our
Efforts and these workers will some day
in tho no distant future he numbered
among organized labors ranks and en-
loving some of the results Of organized
effort.
1t is particularly necessary at this time
10 Increase and strengthen organization.
We are in a critical period when at any
time tn" forces of rcadiustment may
grip the unprotected workers In the
merciless clutches of an industrial crisis
w" must prepare against the change in
industrial currents that shall surely fol-
low the ending of the present European
war
only through organization can the
workers protect themselves against eff
forts to make them bear the brunt of
industrial depression and readiustment
Through organization. the wage earners
can assert their rights. maintain Ameri-
can standards of life and have voice
In determining industrial conditions
Through organization. ideals and as
piratons become real forces for progress
in the lives of the workers. 1t is good
business sense then to make our organi-
There is a great work 10 be done on
the legislative field also before Vermont
can be classod among the leading States
FOR favorable labor legislation: the past
two sessions of our State Legislature
have however, made more progress in
this direction than all previous ones and
We are led to believe had it not been
for the deplorable situation in Barre last
sprinEtime While the Legislature was in
session. caused by an element losing their
heads and being mislcd by some would
be progressivcs, but really roaCtionaries.
measures requested and worked for by
/ organized labor might have received
more favorable action.
Some measures We were advocating
became laws will only refer to one
Of the most important-the work men 3
compensation law This law is not what
We would like it to be and we must con-
tinue to work for improvement in its
weak points and to protect its good
ones. The compensation is too low and
the schemes Of insurance are not right.
/ believe the full benefits of a workmen S
compensation law will never be fully
realized by employers and workmen until
We have a State fund for insurance.
The States that have adopted this means
of insurance are finding il works out
very much more satisfactory than any
other scheme yet tried. Ohio and Wis
consins experience would convince most
any one, excepting insurance people, that
the idea Is right.
! New York State has had one years
experience with state fund for nsur-
! ance under the Workmen's Compensation
law, and the result has been far beyond
the expectations OF the most ardent sup.
| porters of this system. In spite of the
/ fact that insurance rates with the State
were % per cent lower than with the
/ casualty companies. dividends estimated
at 20 per cent will be paid to those carry
| Ing Insurance with the state, and re-
serve fund Of more than 100000 has
! been accumulated, Facts such as these
have put to confusion the advocates OF
| insurance companies, and UNDOUBTEDLY
| this grand showing was what induced
| the standard Oil company and the
! American Locomotive company in thai
| State to change their insurance to the
| state fund, and has caused several Other
large corporations to seriously consider
making a similar change. Advocates o
State fund insurance have had theil
position strengthened considerably by thi.
report of the industrial board, and 1t /,
only reasonable to suppose, in view %
the great success attained in the frs
year of its application, that eventually
all other systems of liability insuranc,
| will be driven from the field which they