The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-08

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 wages. Many members of organized labor opposed this reduction but the committee reported favorab1y and 1t
 passed and has become law.
 l To the Judiciary Committee was also referred the report of the special commission on consolidation. This commission was appointed by the | governor to consider the advisabiltty I of consolidating the various state I boards and commissions and was 1 composed of the following nine mem
 bers:
 | William H. Carmaft, New Haven, I dov.ol, t1oleIl Cheney, Manchester,
 manufacturer; Ernest P. Chesbro, i Willimantic, real estate dealer; George E., Hill Bridgeport, lawyer; James B. Wheeler, New Haven, law l yer; Lucius E. Whiton, New London, manufacturers; Dudley L. Vail. Win sted, manufacturer; Edward K Root, l Hartford. doctor.
 This commissio on held a number of hearings on. the consolida of the Factory Inspector and the Bureau of Labor Statistics at which hearings our members appeared and argued against the consolidation but the commission and the governor were determined that labor should be de- feated and sent a report to the Gen.. eral Assembly recommending the consolidation, which report was re- ferred to the Judiciary. The commit tee then held a hearing on a bill which had been introduced to es-t ta ablsh a State Department of Labor. Again our members fought against 1t but the Judiciary Committee reported favorably and the bill passed. bring ing under one head the departments which. labor was instrumental, after years of struggle, in making of value to the state and it's people.
 A commissioner has been appointed (not a. labor man, in this department of slabor1 but a lawyer. We will watch with interest what effect this change will have.
 That important legislation. the compensation law, was also before the Judiciary Committee There had been introduced many bills amending the law, some going so far as try ing to repeal 1t while others would have greatly reduced the value of it. The bill that the Federation had in- troduced Nas fair and would have made the present law more beneficial to those that are unfortunately injur- ed in the industries Of our state The hearing before the Committee on the bills concerning the amending of the compensation law were mem morable ones; the first one was held at such a short notice thot our members pro- tested and another hearing was granted This was to my mind the
 
 Assembly Our members filled the big Repr eseutatiye Hall and. large number spoke. Every one put up some splendid arguments in favor of our bill We had the able assistance of Prof. Willard C. Fisher of Middle town, and the Hon. C.J. Danaher of Meriden. The Judiciary Committee reported a, bill favorab1y amending the compensation law, but not to the extent that the working people of Connecticut are entitled to-
 The following are the most import ant changes in the law: The medical and surgical treatment is extended to as long as the injury requires it. Un- der the old law these benefits were only for 30 days The waiting period. .befGre compensation begins, has been reduced from two weeks to 10 days Partial inca apacity section has been amended so that in no case -oznpen- sation shall be less than $5 per week. There are several other minor changes, but only of a clarifying na- ture. The act also leaves it optional for the employer of less than nve em- ployees to come under the act.
 The abo1ishing. of the contract sys- tenn in the penal institutions was another bill that received a crushing blow at the hands of the legislature We had hoped that our efforts by the educational campaign which we car ried on in different parts of the state showing the unfairness of the present system would receive proper constd- eratton and that we would be able to rid this state of that damnable con- 9traet system, where the unfortunate
 men, women and children are s1aving for some private contractor.
 The hearing on the bill which Rep fresentattve Martin German had intro duced for the Federation was held before the Joint Committee on State Prison and the labor committee and was largely attended by labor men from all parts of the state. Facts and figures were produced showing the injustice of the present system by such able men as Co11is P. Lovely of Boston, general vice president of the Boot and Shoe Workers International Union3 John J. Manning of New York vice president of the Interna- tionaI Garment Workers; pr. p. Stagg Whitin of Columbia University. New York; Prof. Willard c. Fisher of Midd1etown. a1lmembers of the Ma tional Committee on Prisons 7 and Prison Labor; Hon. Herbert Knox Smith of Hartford; Hon. George A. Romans Of Danbury. All the speak CTS nave made a study of the prison systems all over the country but theip pleading fell upon deaf ears as did the remarks of the labor men who spoke for the abolishing of the con- tract system The action of the Com IAAAItOC- OA LdDOE OA Ll1AS OA14 4S O44C A4OI to be forgotten. Out of courtesy to the only true labor man on the com mittee they allowed Brother German to make a favorable report on the bill but when it came up for vote in the House of-the members did everything possible to defeat it. In speaking to many of the represen tatives about the injustice of the present. way of dealing with the inmates in the in- stitutions. they admitted that our
 
 change was right but that they were not qualified to advocate the change 1 in this session.
 have tried to tell you the fate | only of the most important measures | that were urged and advocated by | will notice that the Legislature clos ed it's session with little consideration [