Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-23
DAWSON MAKES ATTACK
UPON JAMES B. DOHERTY
Whose Office Is Sought by Two
Rival Candidates.
ISSUES CAUSTIC STATEMENT
Accuses Head of State Labor Depart
ment of Preparing Misleading Tab
ulationS, Designed to "Pcrpetuate
Himself in Power"

ment of Preparing Misleading Tab
ulations, Designed to "Pcrpetuate
Himself in Power"
The spirited contest wacing for the
office OF state Commissioner Of Labor.
which has developed three distinct fac
tions in the ranks of organized labor
IN the state. each rallying to the sup
port OF It's favoritc among the three
candidates. was further cnlivencG YES
tcrday when Emmett &. Dawson. for
mer president OF tho State Federation.
issued statement in which he at
tackled tho administration OF Labor
commissioner James r. Dohcrty
MI. Dawson sharply critictses the
department and assails tho :ncumbcn I
Individually. charging Mr. Doherty
with having mtsreprcsented conditions
IN way that is calculated to mis-
lead the genera; public" These al
legged acts of Commissioner Dohcrty.
Mr.. Dawson ascrihcs to his efforts to
rcrpetuate himself in power
COMMISSIONER DOUERTY
CONFINED ny ILLNESS
Tho Labor Commissioner has been
confined to his home by illness for the
lnsi two days and inquir, at his Of
tice Yesterday elected the informa-
NJ. @.
his chief clerk. that Mr.. Dohertv would
probably be heard from IL GOOD time.
FORMER President Dawson. Of the
state Federation Of Labor is support
ing for the office Howard r. Colvin.
editor OF Tho Square Deal oHicial or
gan or the Central Trades and Labor
council of Richmond. and chief clerk
In the office OF Director Lewis G Mach
en-. OF the Bureau Of legislative sta
tistics.
Mr. Dawson. who is now serving as
general organize for the International
Association OF Machinists. assails the
correctness OF n compilation Of in
dustr:al statistics. prepared by MIR.
poherty in an effort TO show that his
department has been more active than
like departments in other States in
prosecuting labor law violators
sEoULD DE MORE THAN
LABOR BUREAU IN NAME
The statement concludes:
The working people Vt Virginia are
Titally interested in the work of tho
labor department of our state govern
ment. They realize that il was created
largely through their efforts and for
their benefit. They arc beginning 20
feel that il should he something more
than bureau OF labor IN name and
hat 1t should do its share OF the work
or remedyinS the conditions under
which they work and live. The luborinE
people Of this State have been very "a :
tcnt and long suffering, but they feel
that they have Put up with tho mac
tivity and iucfIicicncy OF the bureau of
labor and Industrial statistics long
enough and are to-day demanding a
change. For sixteen years James b.
Dohtrty, az Richmond, has headed this
department and there is but little II
'nything TO show rs n result OF his
efforts. Take for example the last
report issued hv the department. 1t ia
all but valuclcss to those most vitality
interested ana thousa nds OF toilcrs in
the state are given no consideration
IL the report at all Among these are
Il large number OF women workers
NO REPORT on CONDITIONS
IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS
Since my connection with the labor
movement in Virginia ] have never
on report OF the conditions exist
ing In the penal institutions OF the
state. though the law creating the de-
partment assigns this work TO it ard
similar departments In other Sta:cc Of
the Union make such Investigations.
Had we mad such a report at the 1912
session Of the General Assembly We
would have had little trouble |" wip-
ing out the vicious contract convict
labor system in vogue in Virginia. AS
q matter Of fact, the only report that
has ever come from the Office ~ the
Commissioned of Labor has been the
annual report. and | have no doubt
that the reason this is Issued is be-
cause the law says il must The data
contained in this. the only compila ton
made by the department. are incom-
plctc. incorrect. and eighteen months
old before ii reaches the public. Even
then 1t is useless as a basis for legis-
lation affecting the labor and social
coalitions in the State.
MISLEADING AND UNFAIR.
SAYS COMMISSIONER'S CRITIC
Nothing is ever published by the
department that could be used by COM
mercial or other organizations in
tcrested in the industrial development
OF the State. Then again the system
used by the department. in compiling
the data contained in the annual re-
port Is one of averages instead OF
maximums and minimums. This is
not merely misleading and unfair to
those who work for living. but in
stead OF bencfitinE them, has actually
proved TO be a detrimcnt to thcm.
Were It not for the inspectors. in
Guiding the mining inspectors, 1t Is
very doubtful If the people of Vir-
Elnin would ever know that there was
such n department OF our State gov
cr:.mcnt rs the Bureau Of Labor and
Industrial Statistics. AS matter of
fact so far as the working people are
concerned, but for these inspectors, we
may as well lock- the door of the de-
rartmcnt and throw the key away.
While ] have no special interest in
who should succeed Mr.. Doherty, other
than that he should come from the
ranks OF the workers, and he familiar
with the Industrial conditions OF the
State and nation, feel. neverth cless.
that OF those mentioned. Howard r..
Colvin. Of Alexandria. is by far the
most logical man for the position, and
that his appointment would give tho
greatest satisfaction to the working
pcOplc Of the State"