The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-10
UNION MEN ARE
IN CONVENTION
Continued from first page)

'@hDoI are tuIIleu on unth Hi uH"' 90"
lied workers are in the ranks. The hop'
Is breathed that conviction may be borne
into all unorganized workers of the stat
that organization is the sure means o
assuring their protection and furtherlnt
their we'll being. Textile mills and thu
marble industry are mentioned as thu
next citadels to be conquered by organ
lied labor. 1t is stated that several at
tempts have been made TO organize up
ward of 1000 workers in the Vermont
marble industry and that efforts viii
continue until the work of the labor mer
is crowned with success.
The report goes on to say: 1T Is par
ticuarly necessary at this time to in
crease and strengthen organization. We
fare in a critical period, when at any
time the forces of readjustment may
Igrip the unprotected workers in the mer-
CHESS clutches of an industrial crisis
We 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 et-
forts to make them bear the brunt OF
industrial depression and readjustment
Through organization, the wage earners
can assert their rights, maintain Amer
| lean standards of life and have voice in
determining industrial conditions"
/ The president continues by saying that
much work remains to be done in the
legislative field before Vermont can be
classed among the leading states for ia
yorable labor legislation. 1t states that
| the past two sessions of the general as
sembly however, have been marked by
| more progress in that direction than in
all previous ones and that but for the
deplorable situation in Barre last spring
while the legislature was in session,
measures requested and asked for by or
ganized labor might have received more
| favorable action.
To the workingmen's compensation law
President Suitor refers as being the most
important piece of labor legislation, al
though the compensation is too low and
the schemes of insurance are not right.
The author of the report states his be-
| lief that the full benefits of compen-
sation law will never be fully realized by
employers and workmen until there is
state fund for insurance. Considerable
space is devoted in the report to tech
meal discussion of the law now in force
and other phases of legislation for labor
ing men,
Referring to the situation in Europe,
the president says: "Organized labor
bodies all over tine country have been
adopting strong resolutions against the
United States becoming embroiled in the
European slaughtering game or interven-
ing in the Mexican trouble. | believe we
should take our stand also and show by
resolutions where we stand in Vermont.
We should also join in labor's protest
against the conviction of John r. Law
son, Colorado district officer of the United
Mine Workers, because we do not believe
his trial was fair"
Mr.. Sutton speaks briefly but TO the
point of the clerks situation in Barre.
In closing, he pays tribute TO the legis-
lators and Others who worked in behalf
of labor during the last general session.
Labor Organization During Past Year.
During the year, according to the an
nual report of Secretary Alexander Iron
side, the BARRIERS of Burlington and the
stage employees OF Rutland have affiliated
with the state federation. Invitations
were sent to others. II is urged that
the next convention of the American Fed |
Grafton of Labor will make it mandatory |
that every local be authorized to join its |
respective state federation. Labor men
are urged to accord the union label bet
ter support Says Mr.. Ironside; Il have
gone 10 merchants in my home town and
induced them in many instances to give |
l. H. ahrss fhaxF do. 1
serve. The merchants at the same time
have told me there is practically no de-
mand and that only a few idealists are
agtating the same" Various means OF
the union label are advocated
by Secretary Ironside, who continues his
report by referring with keen sense OF
analysis TO some OF the labor accomplish
ments of the 1915 legislative session.
Among other matters not mentioned in
the legislative report, reference is made
TO the law requiring the heating of street
car vestibules.
Legislative demands to be made by the
agents Of organized labor are tabulated
~ follows: Widows pension fund; one
DAYS rest in seven; 54-hour law in me
chanical and mercantile industries;
woman deputy added 20 the factory in
spection staff: that the workingmen's
bill be 50 amended that
the SO % per cent of wages be paid for
partial, permanent and total disability,
instead Of 80 per cent as at presents
false advertising bill TO be pushed again
for protection Of workers; amendment
10 child labor act. raising the age limit
to 10 years in al mechanical industries;
rigid enforcement Of present statute
laws.
The secretary also recommends that
the following amendment 60 section II
of the constitution be made: That this