The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-10
The 18th Annual Gathering
Opened in Burling-
ton To-day
OFFICERS REPORT
ON YEARS WORK
President Suitor, Secretary
Ironside, and 9th
ers Included

Burlington, Aug l0--The annual con
yention OF the Vermont State Branch,
| American Federation OF Labor, was
opened in the city hall to-day and viii
continue through to- day, Wednesday and
Thursday About fifty delegates were IN
attendance from various places in the
state. The day was given up to organ
izing and listening to the reports OF the
progress during the past year.
This evening public mass meeting
| is to be held at the city hall, at which
Frank Fl. Mccarthy of Boston, interna-
tional organizer for the American FEEDER
alton of Labor, will speak. 1t is ex-
pected that Gov. Gates win be present
and speak at the meeting to be held
Wednesday afternoon and that he VIII
attend the banquet to be held at the
| New Sherwood in the evening.
Labor Legislation Outlined.
A thorough and illuminating resume OF
labor legislation in the 1918 general as
sembly is incorporated in the annual re-
port of the legislative committee, which
| is signed BY James Cruickshank, chair
man; Alexander Ironside and Fred w.
Suitor. In the minute detail the doings
of the committee in the days immediate
| ly preceding the session, the activities OF
the committee while the session was IN
progress and the relations of the com
mittee with legislators is interestingly
recorded. At the outset the committee
decided to draft bills appertaining to the
| following matters: Workingmen's COM
pensation. mothers pensions, false adver-
tising for help during strikes and lock-
outs. minimum wage rate for women,
providing seats for women engaged IN
mercantile and mechanical occupations
wherever possible, and amendments to
child labor and factory inspection laws.
The outcome OF the committees attempt
to secure new legislation and TO improve
laws already written on the statute
books are intimately told in the report.
Much is made OF the work which went
into the workingmen's compensation law
and the hope is expressed that In later
wears the law may be bettered in several
respects.
Saws the report: "while having no ac-
tive labor representative in the legisla-
ture, VS. were az least fortunate in hav-
ing some members who were more or less
in sympathy with the various measures
we advocated, notably Representatives
Miller of Bethel. Pirie OF Williamstown,
Morse OF Hardwick and Graham OF Rock
inoham. As rule those gentlemen were
at all times ready and willing TO give us
desired information. advice and active
cooperation in furthering labor interests.
In the Senate the burden of labor meas
ures fell principally on Senator Carvei
Of Washington county and Senator n.
monds Of Caledonia county, who proved
himself an able champion of working
mems compensation and is now the hon
ored chairman vf the industrial accident
board. and whom we feel assured will
impartially look after the interests OF
an concerned in the administration OF
the law"
Credit i given the Barre granite cut
ters' organization for their assistance TO
the committee and particularly 20 such
men as William Mcdonald, Daniel j. Sui
livan. John II. Bishop, and TO members Of
the Barre Central labor union, Angus
Mcdonald. Silyio L. Cardi and Wesley
Hoffman.
That the state federation makes an
earnest effort 20 place representatives Of
organized labor in the state legislature
i one OF the closing recommendations Of
the report. and the opinion Is expressed
that united action in a good many towns
would bring this 10 pass. Unfortu.
nate Industrial conditions are said 90
have operated against organized labor in
AZ least one Of the efforts for labor leg
islation. Peculiar legal complications
initiated against the enactment Of a
mothers pension law. Referring 70 the
seats for women" Law. the report SAYS;
@The enactment of the law providing
seats for women IN mercantile establish
mepts. while q direct benefit 20 those
therein employed. will naturally later on
10 a benefit % their children. consequent.
" the community and the stste viii gain
thefby'
II i stated that the rround work of
the compensation law i a. good or bet
Ter than that ~ several similar meas
ures and although the schedule of con
f,ensatiou : lower than several others,
srrerisnce gained through its operation
wfi gradually remedy that ~ any other
defects ~ they appear
Prsasrnt Suffers Report
President ,. W suitor's yearly report
insfuHef the feiiusine remarks An
unrk done ~ vour president during TIE
wear uas Is cOniunetion viii the Ufhrefs
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