The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-02-05
MAKE WALSH REPORT
LABOR'S TEXT BOOK
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CONTINUED from page ~
little by little the whole power of the
race. They obtained great advan-
tages from employing women in the
industries, and then seized on the
working power of children, which
they looked upon as a vast amount of
motive power going to waste when it
might be profitably used. He re-
ferred to the decision of the United
States supreme court in the Dart
nmiouth College case against the alb
rogation of contracts, no matter when
or how made or to what extent con-
ditions had changed since they were
entered into, as the bulwark behind
which all the forces of capitalism
have taken refuge for nearly a hun
dred years. BY the application of
that decision, he added, labor laws
have for many years been declared
unconstitutional by the courts.
Oregon Law and Louis Brandeis.
The Oregon law limiting the hours
of labor for working women in that
state came in for a liberal share of
Mr.. McEwen's attention. He showed
how it had gone from court to court
until it finally reached the highest ju-
dicia1 tribunal in the land and Louis
D. Brandeis was employed to defend
it there. In preparing his defense
Mr.. Brandeis ignored all former laws
and court decisions; got testimony
from medical and factory inspectors
reports; learned that the number of
women employed in the industries Of
the United States was 100000 and
gathered other facts of great value
in his inquiry. He then proved to the
court conclusively that overdrafts on
women by long hours of labor injuri-
ously affected both them and their Off
spring and menaced the enduring well
fare of the race. The rsult was that
the supreme court of the United
States reversed itself and upheld the
law.
Mr. .McEwen looked upon this as
one of the greatest triumphs ever
won in the supreme court and con-
! sidered it large element in influ-
encing President Wilson to name Mr..
Brandeis for the existing vacancy in
| that court. He stated further that
Mr.. Brandeis had been on labor's
side of many cases and had rendered
the movement such immense and ex-
allied service, all without pay, that
THE Interests were preparing to do
everything in their power to prevent
his confirmation by the senate. He
then appealed to the hosts Of labor
to get busy at once in the matter and
4r9i1a ~, 1o4 o4a hat
| it would be compelled to confirm
! the appointment, which the speaker
considered the best one any presi-
dent of the United states had ever
made to the supreme court. The al
| fusion to Mr.. Brandeis was received
with a'whirlwind of applause
Rising Vote of Thanks For McEwen.
| Mr.. McEwen discussed at length
and with force the other causes of
unrest and spoke impressively of the
migratory workers and their needs
| the evils of the present system OF
| prison labor and vocational tanning
in the public schoors as needing the
! attention of the labor organizations
At the conclusion of his remarks he
was given a unanimous rising vote OF
THANKS.
Strong Plea to Congress Adopted.
| Secretary Lawson read a preamble
and set of resolutions urging con-
gress to carry the recommendations
made. by the fedeal industrial com.
mission in it's report into effect al
the earliest practicable date and call
ing on the senators end representa-
tives from Minnesota to work and
vote for such action. He asked the
adoption of the preamble and reso1u-
tons as an expression of the sense
of the meeting on the subject, and
they were adopted unanimously and
| with enthusiasm. The preamble and
resolutions were as follows:
| "Whereas, The late federal CON-
mission on industrial relations of
which Hon. Frank p. Walsh was
| chairman, made a thorough and ef-
! fective investigation of the relations
| existing between the employing and
the working classes in this country
and a keen and discriminating search
for the causes Of the general unrest
| prevailing throughout the land, which
causes it laid bare to the public gaze;
| and,
"Whereas, This investigation
brought to light the prevalence of
( unjust and oppressive conditions for
| workingmen and women. from which
they are entitled to complete and eff
fectual relief at the earliest prac-
ticable date; and,
"Whereas, With veiw to afford
! ing this vitality needed relief, pro-
noting harmony between the work.
| ers and their employers ana gcner-
ally improving economic conditions
in the country, whereby all classes of
! the American people would be bene-
fitted, said federal commission on in
dustrial relations, in the report of
| it's work and findings which it has
submitted to the congress of the
United States, has strongly recon-
mended sundry remedial measures to
| be obtained through legislation and
| otherwise, therefore be it
"Resolved, By this mass meeting
| of the general public, held under the
auspices of the Trades and Labor AS
| sembly of st. Paul, Mimi, this 30th
| day of January, 1916, which has been
| designated and set apart as Indus