The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-02-11
CONDITIONS OF THE WORKERS
Massachusetts, Home Commission Hss
Just Presented tie First
Annual Report.

Boston.-The first annual report OF
the Massachusetts homestead commits
sion is declared to be q classic on the
subject OF providing homes for work
ers and kindred questions. Charts
snow that the highest infant mortality
is In the congested mill towns and
the lowest in the towns and cities
where sanitary conditions are up to
date and where the people are not
overcrowded. The need OF encourag-
ing people to enter the agricultural
calling Is pointed out, and also the
Importance Of spreading information.
The constitutional objection to state
aid for workingmen's homes IL dis
cussed and the commission says:
wherever the state has undertaken
such work. profound economic, so
cial and political advantages have re-
suited" II Is shown that the moro
congested the population the greater
the number Of deaths due to tuber-
cuiosis. recommendations are made
concerning local planning boards;
profitable use OF suburban homes; az
sessment OF betterments; the estab-
lishment Of residential districts, and
FOR the establishment and mafnten-
ance Of agricultural instruction for
families.
San Francisco-The San Francisco
Laundry Workers union entered Wig
orous protest against the violation By
CbfUaaa and Tsn.un.o f.u.a~f~. - .
city ordinance making unlawful the
operation Of public lsundries or wash
houses between the hours Of 9 D. m.
and q. m. This ordinance further
provides that all windows in laundries
that open on any public thoroughfare
shall permit an unobstructed view Of
the interior Of such buildings during
the hours work Is performed. The
laundry workers say this ordinance n
being violated, to their detriment, an
they cannot compete with the long
hour and low wage system Of coolies.
Cleveland. 0.-Today the railway
unions are immensely strong. with .
total membership of well over 10000
men In the United States. Each OF
them-the union Of engineers, Of ire
men, Of conductors and of trainmen-
has millions OF dollars in it's treasury.
The trainmen alone have q balance
OF Ss.0Oo.000. with about 100000 Of
this amount In their strike fund. The
engineers own q skyscraper in this
city and have other large interests.
Geneva, Switzerland.-The member
ship OF the Swiss Typographers' fed
GRAFTON increased in membership from
3,737 to 1919 in rs sections In the year
1918. Only 500 workers are morgan
lied or organized in rival unions. OF
631 firms 5s4 have entered into written
agreements with the union, which pos
sesses a capital Of 1900 900 francs;
$4,000 francs was expended as benefit
last year.
London.-Union membership during
1912 increased more rapidly in this
country than in Germany, the first
named country having an increase Of
over 100000 and the latter slightly
over $4,000. giving Great Britain near
ly half million more Of trades union
membership than Germany. The
United States stands third.
London.-Following an appeal of s.
900 shopkeepers at Stepney and Beth
nal Green against Unnecessarily and
intolerably long shopping hours" the
county council is arranging for an or
der compelling shops to close by ten
o'clock at night.
Berlin.-Women employed In the
textile industry in Germany are in a
majority over the men, there being
400 900 females as against 371 900 men.
In the clothing industry the women
outnumber the men. with 22S,O00 to
81 900.
Washington.-Childre employed In
the rubber industry Of British Guinea
earn from twelve to sixteen cents q
day. A minimum wage is not favored
by the labor commission appointed by
the government OF British Columbia.
Berlin.-The German reichstag will
be asked at its forthcoming session by
the Trades Union league to pass law
all employers to grant to
women and girls q half holiday, begin
ming at p. m. on Saturdays.
Observation-Disclosures rates Of pay In
the tailoring trade. amounting to ~
cents an hour for male and 7 cents
an hour for female workers are to be
by the tailoring trade board
OF England.
Geneva, Switzerland.-New factory
laws In Switzerland have established
the 59-hour week-that Is. ten hours
daily for Ave days and nine hours on
the maximum working
time.
Vancouver. b. C.-Vancouver trade
lnionists have adopted resolution de-
the exclusion Of all Asiatics
from Canada as inimical to the inter.
ssts OF the working people.
Stockton. Cal.-The California State
Federation of Labor has issued the call
or the annual convention OF that body
o be held here the week Of Monday.
october s.
Little Rock. Ark.-Arkansas mine
workers have enough signatures to
permit the people TO vote next fall on
he proposed miners qualification act.