The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-09-24
AhTI-TIPPING LAW URGED.

Welfare of the State Demands That
Workmen Should Get Sufficient In
como to Support Wife and Three
Children--Telephone and Telegraph
Workers Underpaid.
The United States commission on In
dustrial relations made public the Sec
ond section of It's final report. 1t In
cludes summary of living and work
ing conditions prevailing in American
Industries and evidence In support of
the reports finding that wages are
'.too low to provide decent standard
of living" Much evidence is also Civ
en- to show that this situation is a
direct result of the lack of strong labor
organizations by which wage earners
could force the payment. of living
wages
The report was prepared by Basil M.
Manly, director of research and inves-
tigation. 1t is signed by Commission
ers Frank P. Walsh, chairman; John
B. Lennon, James O'Connell and Aus
ID.
John G. Commons and Mrs. j. Borden
Hartman, in addition to the employ
ers' representatives. withhold their as
sent.
Many remedial measures are propos-
ed. Among the recommendations Is
one strongly urging equal political
rights for women as one means by
which they may obtain q living wage.
The commissioners urge that public
opinion and legislation should recog-
nize the principle that women should
receive the same compensation as men
for the same service.
The purchase Of interstate telegraph
and telephone lines is recommended
and the establishment Of a national
telegraph system under the direction OF
the postoffice department. One of the
chief features of the report treats OF
the estate Of feudalism'' that exists in
''many typical industrial communities. :"
The report asserts that at least one
third and possibly one-half of the fam
lilies Of wage earners employed in man
ufacturing and mining live in poverty,
earning less than "enough TO support
them In anything like a comfortable
and decent condition" The commits
sioners say the evidence shows that in
six of the country's largest cities from
~ to 90 per cent Of the children are
underfed and i'll nourished."
The crux of the whole question Of
Industrial relations, according TO the
commissioners. is the one Of strong
union organization and such organiza-
ton Is urged as a cure. Discussing
wages in this connection, the report
says:
THE welfare of the state demands
that the useful labor of every able
bodied workman should as a minimum
be compensated by sufficient income to
support in comfort himself wife, and
at least three minor children. and in
addition TO provide for sickness, old
age and disability" The commission
ers consider it probable that "even at
present the national agricultural and
Industrial output is sufficient to per-
NIT the establishment of such stand
ard"
Discussing the subject of women and
children in industry the report says:
THE increased employment of women
under the present working conditions
is a serious menace to their own health
and well being, to the wages of their
husbands and brothers. and to the
ideals Of family life upon which Amer
IN tol hi fcI,N
Increased organization of working
women for self protection and state
protection of women. through legisla-
ton regulating working conditions,
hours of service and minimum wages,
are recommended.
Employees of telephone and tele-
graph lines are found to be underpaid
and subject to improper working con-
ditions. The same companies are crit
icised for heavy overcapitalization.
If the commissioners have their way
this will become an anti-tip nation, SO
far as interstate passenger traffic Is
concerned. After pointing out that
Pullman porters now have to rely on
"tips' from the public to swell their
S2750 monthly wage to a living in
come. the commission recommends:
THAT enactment by congress of q
statute prohibiting the tipping of any
employee of public service corpora
ton engaged In interstate commerce
anu providing proper fine for both
the giver and the recipient of the tip
Discussing industrial conditions IL
isolated communities. the report says
1.-THE conditions existing In typical in
dustrial communities. which are either
wholly or in large part owned or con
trolled by q single corporation or indi
vidual employer, present every aspect
of state of feudalism except the rec
ognition of specific duties on the part
OF the employer
'The employer in many cases con
trols the social and political life Of suct
communities. either by the complete
absorption OF local political powers Oh
by domination Of the local authorities. !"
UnIonists to Meet.
Officers of the California State Fed