Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-12

For hours TnufSday AFTERNOON the
committee on labor listened in the
Senate chamber TO the bill providing
that no female minor under Is years
Of age, no male minor under l6 wears
Of age and no woman should work III
a factory or workshop or in a manu-
fact uring mechanical or mercantile
establishment more than 81 hours 4
week. This is the so-called 50 hour
bill which has been before previous
Legislatures and which was quite
prominent in the political campaign
Of last year. The bill as presented
this year includes the employees of
rnercantile establishments like dry
goods and department stores. and \
decided opposition to this phase Of the
measure appeared at the hearing
Thursday.
Boyle Conducts Hearing
William c. VIM Of Lisbon Falls, the
chairman of the Legislative commit
tee Of the Maine Federation of Labor.
after & few words in explanation call
ed upon James l. Boyle, Esq, of Au-
gusta the cou26el for the federation.
TO conduct the hearing.
MI. Boyle who was recently admit
ted to the practice of law in this State
and who has made quite a study OF
labor matters and conditions, said thai
the proposed Law was not d novel one
as 1t was in operation in several states
Of this union, but this bill was not as
stringent in its provisions as some of
those in other states. The labor peo-
pie believe that this bill is reasona-
! BILE and that II will work no hard
ships on the employers and that they
will reap the same benefits al least
under the proposed measure as under
the present law.
Explains Provisions
Attorney Boyle explained explained
the provisions OF the bill at length,
saying that il did not apply to estab-
hshnents which dealt in perisha bic
goods. He contended that there was
demand for a 54-hour law IN this
state and the numerous petitions which
had been presented to the Legislatur !.
in favor indicated il
Joseph Ca-lin in Favor
| Joseph Carlin Of Brunswick was
! called as the first witness in favor of
! the proposed law. He testified that he
/ was q textile worker and this bill was
/ not asking OF this Legislature any
/ thing that was not IN operation in 9TH
/ er states. New Hampshire has d Law
limiting the number OF hours to 5 a
/ week. Massachusetts "a, Rhode Island
! 81, Connecticut 5;i, and ne believed that
J if vas "a hours in New York and ::
! in Vermont. He Gid not think that
/ people could say that Maine was far
away from the market when it is
considered that ii costs a great deal
! less to run the mills in New Bedford
\ Fall River and other cities in Massa :
chusetts than il does in Maine where
the mills are run by water power
| George Bouthilette Of Biddeford, a
loom hxeI, said that the laboring peo-
/ pie are praying for more air TO breathe
| and wanted this Legislature to give II
1 to them.
1 Arthur L. Collins OF Lewiston spoke
| briefly in support Of the measure.
! Henry n. Donnelly Of Augusta, tbs
! deputy State labor commissioner. alsC
/ spoke in favor Of the bill and explain
I ed in detail its provisions, citing the
/ laws and their operation in some OF
the states. MI. Donnelley said that he
( had no feeling against the employers
and he believed That the employers 0!
labor in the State Of Maine were *
fair as there were in any othr STATE
in the Union.
Hon. Scott Wilson Of Portland, for