Evening journal., 1915-02-17
WOULD amend THE
NEW Labor BILL
Committee Wants Two Wo-
men on Commission and
One Female Inspector
PARTISAN CONTROL
IS OBJECTED TO

The Labor Legislative Committee, or
ganized specifically to safeguard labor
legislation, has been actively an
alyzing since last Saturday the inn
portant features of the new bills now
before the Legislature. Two execu-
tive meetings and a meeting of the
whole body have gone over this bill
most carefully and reached the con-
clusiOn that certain amendments are
necessary before this will be con-
/ structive measure and one that will
safeguard the women and children of
the State. The amendments have been
sent to Dover.
The following arc the points that
/ the Labor Legislative Committee con-
/ siders as some of the changes needed
to make this bill of large constructive
/ value to the State:
First Number of Commissioners.
The Labor Legislative Committee
deems this number sufficient. provid-
! ing the utmost care in the selection of
! commissioners is exercised from
I among those citizens keenly interested
I in these problems and with the facili-
ties and time to devote to the work
without compensation. and providing
the following safeguards, are required
| by law for the selecting of commits
sioners.
Second. Women Commissioners. As
these laws directly pertain to the sup
\ ervision of women and children, il is
! considered Of vital Importance that
woman's knowledge, touch, insight
and time are needed in the super.
vision, study and administration Of
! these laws. The Labor Legislative
I Committee therefore considers that
both justice and wisdom demand that
4 the law specify that of a commission
4 of five. two shall be women.
! Third. Labor Representation. As the
laboring interests are extensively and
! vitally affected. the viewpoint and SEN
timent of laboring interests should be
represented in the commission by a re.
lquirement that not less than one repre-
4 sentative of labor be appointed to said
commission.
Fourth. Representative of Employers
The same argument applies here in the
.. appointment of not less than one en-.
iploycr to said commission.
Fifth. Non -Partisanship. While oul
! citizens can safely rely on the present
? Governor TO take care of this issue. il
is by no means certain that proper non
partisanship would be considered undel
| future administrations The labor leg
islative committee therefore urges that
not over two commissioners shall be ap
pointed from any one political party anf
that this shall be specified in the new
, law. A governor of proper inclination'
} in behalf Of the citizenship as a whoii
Z should naturally have no objections {,
such restriction. a governor addictcc
/ to partisanship and working to weaker
the administration Of the law or 20 Sc
cure inspoctorship appointments for po
litical service should positively be re
stricted by such a restriction in the new
law.
Sixth. Selection OF Inspectors As
a matter Of economy and effectiveness
and of proper organization il is
deemed very important TO stipuiatC
that the inspectors handling all oi
these laws should be chosen as q
chief inspector and an assistant ol
deputy inspector. the latter being un.
der the instructions of the former
Unless this organization principle is
followed. conflict within tho Office o
the commission and i'm saving dupli
cation of efforts and in the proper
preparation OF reports is likely tC
arise. AS these new laws directly ef
feet the women and children, we alsC
deem II of importance that the new
bills should state that one of the two
inspectors must be a woman.
Seventh. Contingency Fund Tit
present bills provide for fund o
, $1,000 for expenses Of commissioners
officers and employees. money to b,
disbursed on order of the chairman
In the estimation Of the Labor Legis
lative Committee this is not specifi,
enough. These funds should be un
quesionably devoted to the legitima.,
expenses of the inspectors and tn
Office work and within REASONABLE,
limits to travelling expenses of th'
commissioners. The disbursement
OF this contingency fund should un
questionably be so guarded that i'm n,
way. directly or indirectly, shall it y,
used to compensate commissioner
e for services, under any pretext o
e disguise.
}, Eighth. Public Hearing OF Negli
s gent Inspectors. The new bills max
ehi9 hdhudtolg. IN tue eSllmdJOl
y of the Labor Legislative Committe
this should be optional with the in
s spector. A deficient inspector nigh
prefer not to have his shortcoming
: made public. therefore it is recon
mended that on request of inspecto
and before discharge. it would b
: obligatory to hold public hearing.
Ninth. Qualification of Inspector
r. Inspectors should be appointed onl
after an examination as TO their ex
i perience and knowledge of laws an
z conditions of labor.
) EASTLAKE CHURCH NOTES.
h At the Eastlake Presbyteria